-
1
Put all but 1/3 cup flour on a work table and form into a ring.
-
2
Place water and salt in the center.
-
3
With the tips of your fingers, gradually incorporate the flour.
-
4
Do not overwork.
-
5
Form into a round - the dough should be smooth, moist and not overly sticky.
-
6
Slash the top of the dough ball in a cross shape.
-
7
Cover dough in plastic wrap and place in refrigerator.
-
8
Mix remaining flour with butter.
-
9
Work to smooth mass and form it into an eight-inch square, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
-
10
On a lightly floured working surface, roll out the dough to form a large clover shape.
-
11
Place butter-flour mixture in the center of the dough.
-
12
Close flaps of dough and completely enclose the butter.
-
13
Roll out the dough to a rectangular shape approximately 18 inches by 8 inches.
-
14
The rectangle should be rolled out vertically away from you.
-
15
Always roll from the center out, never backtracking with the rolling pin.
-
16
Leave the edges a little thicker than the center to avoid breaking dough.
-
17
After rolling, gently flatten the edges with the rolling pin.
-
18
Brush off excess flour and fold dough in thirds like a letter (top toward you, bottom over top) to complete first turn.
-
19
Rotate the the dough clock-wise one quarter turn - at this point it should resemble a book with its binding on the left.
-
20
Gently roll it out again on a floured surface into an 18-by-8-inch rectangle as in step 4.
-
21
Brush off excess flour and, once again, fold the dough in thirds as with a letter, top down and bottom up.
-
22
This completes the second turn.
-
23
Cover the dough and refrigerate for one hour.
-
24
Execute third and fourth turns exactly as was done with the first two.
-
25
Refrigerate for another hour.
-
26
Then make the 5th and 6th turns and refrigerate for another hour, or overnight.
