Savoury Shortcrust Pastry

Making your own dough is so satisfying and beats any ready-made dough in the supermarket.

This dough can be used for both savoury and sweet pies, tarts and quiches. Although Achieving a great pie or tart dough may seem easy, it can be a quest for many when you don't follow the exact technique. This dough is light, easy to roll, flaky and crispy. Practice makes better, but if you adhere to the following notes, you will find it easier to master the best crust after just a few attempts.

1. Always use chilled fat (in this recipe it is the butter)

2. Always use chilled water and don’t be tempted to add more as you will end up with a hard crust.

3. Add vinegar as it prevents the dough from oxidising and turning grey.

4. Never overwork the dough and make sure you have pieces of butter intact.

5. Never knead the dough, with the palm of your hands, just bring it together.

6. Shape the dough into discs as it will be easier to roll and you get an edge with fewer cracks.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Resting: 2 hours

Notes: 1 recipe makes two 30cm shells or six 12 cm shells

Ingredients:

• 290 grams chilled cubed butter

• 610 grams all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 175ml chilled water

• 1 tablespoon white vinegar

Method:

· Cut the butter into cubes and return the fridge until needed as it must stay chilled.

· If mixing using the food processor, place the flour, salt and butter in the bowl and pulse about 4 times just until it is combined.

· If using your hands place the flour, salt and chilled bowl and rub with the fingertips until slightly combined.

· In the processor, add the vinegar and water and pulse a few times until the pastry pulls together but, still crumbly. You must make sure that there are pieces of butter visible as this gives the crust the best flakiness.

· If using the hands sprinkle the chilled water and vinegar with the palm of the hand until just combined. The result using the food processor or hand should be identical, a crumbly mixture.

· Bring the dough together as seen in the video and create a disc or two and make sure to flatten it slightly.

· Wrap in plastic and place in the fridge for 2 hours before using so it can rest.

· Remove from the fridge 20 minutes before rolling and follow the baking instructions for the tart you desire to make.

· Read the notes above for a perfect crust.

Per Serving: 4302 Calories; 241g Fat (50.5% calories from fat); 65g Protein; 466g Carbohydrate; 18g Dietary Fibre; 635mg Cholesterol; 4545mg Sodium.