Roughly translated, pˆate is French for “paste” and refers to various doughs, batters and pastries. The word is easily confused with its more accented derivative— pˆat—which means “pie” and originally designated a savory mixture of ground meat or vegetables baked in a crust.



Pastries, as we know them today, evolved in medieval Europe where the dominant fats were lard and butter. Unlike the olive oil used by Greek and Roman cooks, butter and lard produced stiffer doughs that made crisp, tasty cases for various baked foods. The French became masters, and while the names of the varieties may sound intimidating, some are no more daunting than swapping butter for the lard your grandma used in pie crusts.



• Pˆate brise: The French term for short-crust pastry, made with butter, flour and water, used for pies, tarts and quiches.



• Pˆate sucre: Same as above, but sweetened and enriched with egg. Used for pies and tarts.



• Pˆate feuillete: French puff pastry. Dough is rolled thin, spread with butter and folded and rerolled repeatedly to produce multiple flaky layers. True puff pastry is generally left to professionals.



• Pˆate choux: Extremely versatile dough made by boiling water with butter, adding flour, cooking briefly, then beating in eggs. Spoonfuls are dropped or piped onto a baking sheet, resulting in hollow, cloud-like shells. Used for clairs, cream puffs and profiteroles, savory fillings for canaps. With the addition of cheese, choux pastry becomes gougeres,  a specialty of Burgundy.



Gougeres



Cooking spray



1 cup water



6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces



1 teaspoon salt



Pinch cayenne



Pinch ground nutmeg



1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour



5 eggs, divided



2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Comt cheese



Preheat oven to 375. Lightly coat baking sheets with cooking spray.



Bring water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add butter, salt, cayenne and nutmeg. When butter melts, lower heat and add flour. Stir well, then beat vigorously with a wooden spoon until flour is well incorporated and forms a ball-like mass, about 3 minutes.



Remove from heat and cool slightly. Make a well in the center of dough. Break 1 egg into the well and beat in thoroughly. When thoroughly mixed, add second egg. Beat well. Repeat with third and fourth egg, beating until dough is smooth and shiny. Beat in cheese. Using 2 spoons, drop dough 2 inches apart onto baking sheet in tablespoon amounts. Beat remaining egg withzteaspoon water in a bowl and lightly brush on each gougere.  Bake 20 minutes, until golden brown and crusty to the touch. Turn off heat and allow to rest in oven 5 minutes. Makes 36.



Per gougere: 70 calories, 4.5g fat, 40mg chol., 3g prot., 3g carbs., 0g fiber, 95mg sodium.



Look for Relish magazine, celebrating America’s love of food, the first Thursday of each month in The Buffalo News.