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Shortcrust Pastry

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Serves: Makes 1 x 24cm pastry case

Ingredients:

  • 1¼ cups plain flour
  • 125g Western Star Butter, chilled
  • 1-2 tablespoons iced water

Method:

Process flour and butter in a food processor until mixture resembles breadrumbs. Add water and pulse until dough begins to come together into a ball, do not overmix. Scoop mixture into a plastic freezer bag and gently press into a smooth disc.

Refrigerate for 15-20 minutes.

Roll out pastry between 2 sheets of baking paper to a 3mm thickness. Line a loose based 24cm flan tin with pastry, trimming the excess. Prick base with a fork and push a large sheet of foil into the pastry shell, pressing it up and over the sides.

Bake pastry at 190°C for 15 minutes. Remove foil and bake for a further 10 minutes until crisp and golden. Cool then use as required.

Variations

Cheddar Pastry-add 80g grated cheddar cheese to flour in food processor.

Black Pepper Pastry-add 1/2-1 teaspoon cracked black pepper to flour in food processor.

Seeded Mustard Pastry - add 1 tablespoon wholegrain mustard to flour in food processor.

Hints:

Don't overwork the pastry in the food processor, this develops the gluten in the flour producing tough pastry.

If there are holes in the pastry when lining the tin, use a little excess pastry to patch them up.

When using a recipe that requires a baked filling, remove the pastry after the first 15 minutes of baking, remove the foil and cool, then fill and bake until filling sets. Never fill a hot pastry shell.

This pastry recipe can be used to line 4 x 12cm individual tart tins. Bake for 10 minutes, remove foil and bake for a further 5 minutes until crisp and golden.

Photo: Shortcrust Pastry