Shortcrust Pastry Recipes

Sometimes I use normal shortcrust pastry and sometimes a richer recipe with egg in it or an even richer one with more butter. The pastry without the egg is easier to handle as it falls apart less and I usually use that for bigger pies like chicken or whatever and the one with egg for mince pies or jam tarts. You can add some sugar if you want but I very rarely do.


Shortcrust Pastry
120g plain flour
60g butter
Cold water
Salt if your butter is unsalted

Rich Shortcrust Pastry
120g plain flour
60g salted butter
1 egg yolk
A little cold water
Salt if your butter is unsalted 

Extra Rich Shortcrust Pastry (I use for mince pies and quiche)
120g plain flour
80g butter
1 egg yolk
Maybe a little cold water
Salt if your butter is unsalted 

Crumb together the butter and flour - you can do by hand or in a blender - I use a pastry cutter.

Add sugar at this point if you want to.
Add the egg yolk (or just add water if not using egg) and mix lightly then add enough water to just hold the crumbs together (may not be needed). You want to work the pasty as little as possible so it comes out crumbly instead of hard and crispy. If you push the pasty and it all falls apart you haven't added enough water. It is better to add the water slowly as it isn't good for the pastry to have to add more flour at this stage.

The pastry can wait in the fridge until you are ready to use it - it is fine for a few days.

Roll out as thin as you can and cut out the right size pieces to fit in to your tin (or for pies place in the tin and cut round the edge. You can also grate the pastry after refrigerating it and then squidge the bits in to the tin - works well in quiche tins with the frills.