Martha Stewart's Simple Tip For Safely Emptying A Food Processor
Culinary queen Martha Stewart has more than a few kitchen tips up her sleeve and continues to share them with the world on TikTok. She's even schooling other celebrity chefs with her clever tricks, like Jamie Oliver, who was surprised at Martha's simple pointer for safely emptying a food processor.
Emptying the contents of a food processor can often be a cumbersome task, requiring both hands and posing a bit of an inconvenience for users as they navigate the lid, the blade, and the hole in the center of the processor. Instead of having to rely on both hands to simultaneously hold the handle and steady the main compartment when emptying, simply remove the blade and use your finger to plug the hole in the food processor bin from underneath. This frees up one hand to assist with scooping or spooning out the contents, making the whole process more efficient and less messy. Upon hearing the tip firsthand from Stewart in a TikTok video, Chef Oliver admitted he was "still learning."
@marthastewart Had fun with @jamieoliver in the test kitchen – and even taught him a few Good Things! Stream the full episode of Martha Cooks for free only on @roku. #cookingtiktok #foodprocessor #foodtok
The key to perfect pie crust
Martha Stewart's food processor tips don't stop at plugging the hole for perfect pouring. The domestic maven also recommends using a food processor to quickly bring together homemade pie crust.
The pulse feature is the key to making a deliciously flaky pie crust in your own kitchen. This technique allows the butter or shortening to be cut into the flour mixture in short bursts, rather than continuously mixing it in. As the blade rotates, it cuts the fat into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. This is crucial to creating a flaky texture because it ensures that small pockets of fat remain intact within the dough. These pockets will melt during baking, creating steam and resulting in layers of flakiness. By pulsing the dough, you also have better control over the mixing process, preventing the fat from being overworked and resulting in a tough crust. Pulsing also helps distribute the fat evenly throughout the dough, ensuring consistent flakiness in every bite of the pie crust.
The best way to clean your food processor
After all is said and done, cleaning your food processor is a process in itself. Remember all those parts? Separating the main compartment from the stand, along with the blade and the lid, can be a bit of a chore, but there are efficient ways to tackle this task.
The first step is to disassemble the appliance by removing the blade and any other detachable parts. Then, fill the main compartment with warm water and add a little bit of dish soap. Reassemble the food processor and secure the lid tightly. Turn the appliance on and let it run for a minute or two, allowing the soapy water to agitate and clean the interior surfaces. Afterward, carefully disassemble the food processor and rinse each component under running water to remove any soap residue. Use a soft brush or sponge to gently scrub away any remaining food particles or stains. Finish up by drying all components thoroughly with a clean towel or allowing them to air dry before storing the food processor.