Walnut Pastry Dough

Instructions

1. Cut butter into pieces and soften to cool room temperature.
2. In a food processor pulse walnuts until finely ground.
3. Add confectioners' sugar, flour, and salt and pulse until combined.
4. Transfer mixture to a large bowl and add butter.
5. With your fingertips or a pastry blender blend together flour mixture and butter until most of mixture resembles coarse meal with remainder in small (roughly pea-size) lumps.
6. Stir together yolk and ice water and add to mixture.
7. With a fork toss mixture until liquid is incorporated.
8. Gently form mixture into a ball and on a lightly floured surface smear dough in 3 or 4 forward motions with heel of hand to help distribute fat and make dough easier to work with.
9. Form dough into a ball and flatten to form a disk.
10. Chill dough, wrapped in plastic wrap, 1 hour, or until firm but not hard.
11. (Dough may be covered and chilled 1 day ahead or frozen 1 month.)