Got milk for these pop-tarts? - "Placintele"

I made this back in November, but i didn't get to post it then, and since now my daughter asked me to make them again tonight, i thought it's time for this post, too.
I found the idea on Chez Pim's blog, and fell in love with it immediately. (And digressing a little bit from the post - Chez Pim's blog was one of the first blogs i discovered about 2 years ago on the net. I cannot tell you how mesmerized i was and how much time i spent reading every single post over and over again, checking all the other blogs she mentioned and starting saving them in my bookmarks. I think that is the time when i was actually "contaminated" for good. And i couldn't be happier that i found that this is IT for me, my passion and calling. While i still lack in so many departments - knowledge, experience, writing or photographic talent, and also the courage to give up my job for a culinary training, i am living this dream now every moment. And though the level is still below the bar set by those who inspire me so much and whose blogs i admire, they push and help me every step of the way, without them even knowing i exist.)

Back to the subject of this post -I bought the pop tarts for Clara only once, because the kids at her school were eating them, there were commercials on TV and she wanted to see how they taste. And while she keeps asking me from time to time to buy them again, i never did after tasting one from that first and only box. And saying that they are not healthy would be the understatement of the year, although the sweetness and colors make them so very popular for kids. Don't get me wrong, if i would have had one when i was Clara's age i am sure i would have loved them too, without thinking as i do now what am i actually swallowing?!?!

That's why i was so happy when i found Pim's post. It's nothing complicated (if you don't start panicking at the thought that you have to make pie crust), and when you see them you ask yourself: how come i never thought of this until now? This is brilliant.
Here is Pim's post, and please take the time to check it, her photos are beautiful and the post is explicit. Also check out the links she gives for pie crust recipes here, here, here and there, for step by step instructions with photos, you never know which recipe you'd actually like better.

I've read all of these links, some of them more than once, but in the end i went with the crust recipe i have from my friend Lili, as i made it so many times before, and we really like it.

The fillings were Nutella (what else ?!?!?!), cherry jam and the last of my homemade plum jam. I think it took us only about 2-3 hours to finish them, and they were just perfect with a glass of cold milk on the side. We were all kids again, happy, happy ones, and tonight is once more time for some sweet pop-tarts induced happiness. Got milk?

Pie crust

2 ½ cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
2 sticks very cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
7 tablespoons ice water + 3 tablespoons vinegar

I use two knives and my hands to mix the ingredients, I don’t like the food processor and I don’t have a pastry cutter.
In a bowl put the flour, salt, sugar and the butter and cut the butter into the flour using the both knives. Mix them only until the mixture is grainy and coarse. Pour slowly the water-vinegar mix and mix with your hands or a spatula until the dough comes together. If needed, add up to 3 tablespoons more ice water, one at a time. DO NOT OVERMIX.
Cut the dough in two, shape them into disks, wrap them in plastic and put them in the fridge for at least an hour.

Flour your work surface very well and roll the dough until about 1/8" thick. Cut the dough in 4x6(8) rectangles. Spread a tablespoon of your favorite filling on one half of each rectangle, leaving about 2/3" on each side, then fold the other half over. Press the edges to close the tart (you can use water to brush the edges if they don’t stick well). Use a fork to press the sides of the tart to make a pattern. Trim off the edges (if you want to), then brush the pockets with eggwash, sprinkle some raw sugar and cut a few vents on top.
Place the tarts on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper and put them back in the fridge for about 15 minutes.
Bake at 400F (~200C) for about 15-20 minutes, until the pop tarts are nicely golden and not too brown around the edges.

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Placintelele de azi le-am facut tot inainte de postul Craciunului, dar nu am apucat sa le postez pana acum, si pentru ca mandruta mea m-a rugat sa le facem din nou diseara, m-am gandit ca e timpul sa le postez.
Am gasit ideea asta minunata pe blogul lui Pim, si m-a cucerit imediat. (Si abatandu-ma de la subiect - blogul lui Pim e unul dintre primele pe care le-am descoperit pe net in urma cu vreo 2 ani. Nu pot sa spun cat de "vrajita" am fost si cat timp am petrecut de atunci citind fiecare post de nenumarate ori, mergand pe toate linkurile catre alte bloguri postate de ea si incepand sa le salvez ca favorite cu zecile. Si asa m-am "imbolnavit" definitiv. Nu pot sa spun ce mult m-am bucurat sa descopar ca asta e pasiunea si chemarea mea. Si desi inca imi lipseste experienta, cunostintele, talentul scrisului sau al fotografiei, si curajul de a renunta la slujba mea de acum ca sa o iau de la inceput in lumea culinara, sunt bucuroasa ca traiesc acest vis in fiecare zi. Si desi nivelul este inca mult sub cel al persoanelor care ma inspira si ale caror bloguri le admir, ei ma imping si ma ajuta in fiecare pas, fara macar sa stie ca exist.)
Inapoi la subiectul postului de azi - am cumparat "placintelele" astea pentru Clara inainte (le pui in prajitorul de paine si gata), pentru ca i-a vazut pe colegii ei mancand asa ceva, le faceau reclama la Tv si a vrut sa vada ce gust au. Si desi ma roaga din cand in cand sa ii mai iau o cutie, nu le-am mai cumparat niciodata de cand am gustat una din prima / ultima cutie. Sa spun ca nu sunt sanatoase si gretos de dulci ar fi mult prea putin, dar copiilor de aici le plac mult. Nu vreau sa fac pe lupul moralist, probabil ca daca as fi mancat una cand eram de varsta Clarei le-as fi placut si eu, fara sa ma gandesc ca acum ce inghit de fapt.
De asta am fost bucuroasa cand am gasit postul lui Pim. Nu e nimic complicat ( daca nu te apuca panica gandindu-te ca trebuie sa faci aluat de placinta), si cand le vezi te intrebi cum de nu m-am gandit la asta pana acum? Pentru ca sunt absolut minunate.
Aici este postul lui Pim, cu fotografii si pasi explicati pe larg. Si puteti intra pe linkurile puse de ea pentru aluatul de placinta, aici, aici, aici si aici, pentru retete cu instructiuni detaliate cu poze, nu stii care reteta o sa va placa mai mult.
Am citit toate linkurile de mai sus, unele din ele chiar de mai multe ori, dar pana la urma am urmat reteta pe care o folosesc de vreo 3 ani, de la prietena mea Lili, pentru ca sunt sigura de rezultate si ne place cum iese.
Umplutura a fost Nutella ( se poate altfel ?!?!?), gem de cirese si ultimele linguri din gemul meu de prune. Cred ca ne-a luat numai vreo 2-3 ore sa le terminam, si au fost perfecte cu un pahar de lapte rece langa. Ne-am simtit cu totii copii iarasi, foarte foarte veseli, asa ca diseara e din nou timpul pentru niste "placintele". Bineinteles cu lapte :)).

Aluat de placinta

325 g faina
o lingurita sare
o lingura zahar
225 g unt nesarat, foaret rece, taiat in cuburi
7 linguri de apa foarte rece + 3 linguri otet

Eu amestec aluatul folosindu-ma de doua cutite si cu mainile, nu imi place cum iese la robot / mixer si nu am un cutit din ala de patiserie pentru aluat.
Se pun intr-un bol faina, zaharul, sarea si untul, si se amesteca taind untul in faina cu ajutorul cutitelor ( sau daca aveti maini mai reci, cu mana). Se amesteca numai cat sa arate ca niste firimituri mai mari. Se toarna treptat lichdiul (apa + otetul) si se amesteca pana aluatul se aduna intr-o minge mare. Daca aluatul e prea uscat, puteti adauga pana la 3 linguri de apa rece in plus. NU SE AMESTECA MAI MULT.
Se imparte aluatul in doua bucati, se inveleste fiecare in folie de plastic si se pune la frigider cel putin o ora.
Se presara faina din belsug pe suprafata de lucru si se intinde aluatul pana are grosimea de 3-4 mm. Se taie aluatul in dreptunghiuri de 8(10) x 16 (20) cm. Se pune o lingura din umplutura preferata pe una din jumatatile fiecarui dreptunghi, lasand liber cam 2 cm pe fiecare margine, apoi se acopera cu jumatatea cealalta. Se apasa marginile si se formeaza un pachetel. Daca marginile nu se lipesc, ungeti cu putina apa si le apasati din nou. Cu ajutorul unei furculite se face un model de jur imprejur. Se niveleaza marginile ( daca vreti), se ung pachetele cu ou, se presara cu zahar neprocesat (brun) si se taie cateva deschizaturi in partea de deasupra.
Se pun tartele pe o tava tapetata cu hartie de copt si se pun la frigider 15 minute.
Se coc la 400F (~200C) timp de 15-20 minute, pana cand se auresc. Se verifica dupa 15 minute pentru ca marginile sa ard foarte usor.