Make the Best Shortcrust Pastry Ever, Easily!
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I recently had a superb and fairly sudden lunch thanks to brilliant shortcrust pastry making advice from my friend Carol.
A few weeks ago it was my birthday and a few days later we went to see Carol where, lo and behold, she had arranged a lovely afternoon tea and invited a few people over. She served a delicious onion tart, and the pastry was wonderful. Her shortcrust pastry is always wonderful, so I asked what her secret is and she told me!
The pastry I made folowing her advice was the best I ever made and possibly the best I’ve ever eaten apart from Carol’s. So here is …
How to Make the Best Shortcrust Pastry Ever
Generally, and for my whole cooking life, the standaard recipe for shortcrust pastry has been half fat to flour and looking on the internet it still is. Everyone from the BBC to Delia still recommend these proportions. I have always made my shortcrust pastry this way and it has been fine, but not delightfully crisp, flaky, tender and melt in the mouth and altogether amazing as it is when you do this.
Carol’s advice is so simple – just increase the proportion of fat to flour! So here’s what I did based on her advice …
Shortcrust Pastry Recipe
NOTE: I always use my fingers to the rub the fat into the flour but Carol uses a knife which is probably a good idea as you are less likely to warm up the fat that way. You can also do this in a food processor but not for long, just a few pulses should do it.
200g cold plain flour – plus extra for dusting
pinch of salt
125g cold butter
(or 50:50 butter and lard – which is good for savoury dishes)
a little very cold water
~ Sift the flour and salt together into a mixing bowl.
~ Cut the fat into small dice and add to the flour.
~ Using your cold fingers work the fat into the flour till the mixture looks like breadcrumbs –
or you achieve the same result in a food processor.
~ Add cold water, a little at a time mixing gently (with still cold fingers) adding a bit more
water till the mixture comes together into a soft dough. If you accidentally go too far with
the water add a little more flour.
~ Gather the dough into a ball and wrap in cling film.
~ Chill for 30 minutes or until needed.
Having made and chilled the pastry I then made myself a sudden …
Rustic Cheese & Onion Tart
Guidelines rather than a concise recipe, for 1, can be doubled, trebbled, etc.
125g shortcrust pastry of the loveliest kind
one medium onion – could be red or white – thinly sliced
15 g butter OR 1 tablespoon of olive oil OR a mix of both
100g tasty cheddar cheese – grated
~ Cook the onion this way – it will be soft, buttery and delicious.
~ Allow to cool to room temperature.
~ Preheat the oven to 375ºF/190ºC/170ºC fan/gas 5.
~ Roll out the pastry into a round, square or any shape you like!
~ Transfer to a baking tray and sprinkle with half the grated cheddar to within 1cm of the
edge of the pastry.
~ Spread the onions on top of the cheese.
~ Sprinkle with the rest of the cheddar to cover,
~ Fold the edges of the pastry over the filling, pleating or twisting it if you wish.
~ Bake till the pastry is crisp and golden and the filling is melty and golden – about 20
minutes.
~ Et voila!
I also made some cheese straws which were gorgeous.
So this will be my go to pastry recipe for the rest of my life!
Pastry Making Tips
~ Everything should be cool; ingredients, utensils, bowl, working surface, rolling pin and you,
especially your hands – you need to prevent the fat in the pastry melting.
~ Don’t over flour the working surface, it can make the pastry dry.
~ Handle the pastry as little as possible, overworking will develop the gluten which will make
the pastry tough.
~ Always rest the pastry in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before using.
~ Also rest the pastry in a cool place for about 15 minutes after making your pie, tart or
whatever, before putting it in the oven.
~ No need to grease the baking tray, pie dish or whatever; the fat in the pastry will do that for
you.
~ If you want a crisp bottom (and who doesn’t?) place preheat a baking sheet in the oven and
place your dish on top to bake.
Leftover Pastry
See here for all sorts of ideas to use up pastry scraps and trimmings deliciously.
Thank you, Carol! xxx
Suzy Bowler
Having been a somewhat itinerant chef for over 30 years I was amazed, on my return to the UK, at the blatant food waste that now seems to be rife in the country; amazed and irritated. So much so that I decided to start a blog about spontaneous cooking from leftovers to show people that there are great alternatives to throwing food away.
