Short Crust Pastry

by | Feb 24, 2012 | Desserts, Sides

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 and ⅔ cups plain flour
  • 125 g unsalted butter, chilled, finely chopped
  • 1 egg, chilled

 

DIRECTIONS

  1. Process flour, butter and a pinch of salt in a food processor until mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
  2. Whisk egg and 1 tablespoon chilled water in a bowl until combined, then with food processor motor running, add to flour mixture.
  3. Process until mixture begins to form large clumps, stopping machine before mixture forms a ball.
  4. Turn pastry out on to a work surface and knead gently to bring together.
  5. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or for at least 2 hours.
  6. Once out of the fridge, shape and roll into tin / pan as needed.
  7. Re-fridge the pastry in the pan for 30 mins before blind baking at 200C for 15-25 mins. Check often. This is to re-rest the pastry and to stop it from shrinking.
Variations – for cornmeal pastry, follow basic pastry recipe, reducing plain flour to 200 g and adding 50 g fine polenta with the flour; for sweet pastry, follow basic pastry recipe, adding 80 g sifted icing sugar with the flour and replacing egg with 2 egg yolks; or for Parmesan pastry, follow basic pastry recipe, adding 50 g finely grated parmesan with the flour.

SOURCE: http://www.bestrecipes.com.au/recipe/Short-Crust-Pastry-L7533.html