Rich Shortcrust Pastry
Shortcrust pastry is the best starting point if you’ve never made pastry before. It’s quick to make and versatile for savoury bakes. This recipe is for a rich shortcrust dough, which I find better for quiches and flans than plain shortcrust. With the addition of sugar, it can also be used for sweet bakes.
Makes approx. 290g
Hands-on Time 10 minutes
Ingredients
170g plain flour
Pinch of salt
85g unsalted butter (cubed and chilled)
1 medium egg yolk (beaten with 2 tbsp cold water)
Equipment
Bowl
Clingfilm
Method
In a bowl, mix the flour and salt.
Add the chilled butter and rub it into the flour using your thumb and forefingers until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
Add the egg yolk mixture and combine with a spoon until a dough forms. (Using a spoon prevents overworking and keeps the butter cold.)
If needed, add water a teaspoon at a time, but this should not be necessary.
Once combined, place the dough on a large piece of clingfilm, flatten into a circle, and cover with another piece of clingfilm.