Shortcrust Pastry Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 lb./450g. plain flour
• 4 ozs/100g. butter
• 4 Ozs/100g. margarine
• Or use all butter if you want a richer pastry
• 1-1/2 Fl. Ozs water
• Salt
• Greaseproof paper
• 1/2 lb./200g. uncooked dried beans or rice (for blind baking)

Method

Follow steps 1 to 4 for great shortcrust pastry.
To make a quiche case and bake blind follow steps 5 to 9.

1. It's so easy to make perfect pastry in a food processor - pulse the flour, butter, margarine and salt together until the Mixture resembles bread crumbs.
2. Add the water to the mixture and pulse until it starts to cling together (add a little more water if necessary).
3. If you are doing it by hand rub the fat into the flour and salt till it resembles fine breadcrumbs...then add the water and stir in until the mix clings together.
4. Turn out dough onto a floured board and knead for about 20 seconds until you have a smooth, even ball.
5. Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for 30-40 minutes.
6. Now roll out the pastry on a floured board and line a 10" quiche dish, trimming the pastry to 1/2" above the edge of the dish to allow for shrinkage - crimp the edges with your fingers.
7. Place the greaseproof paper on top of the pastry - making sure it is all covered and fill with your baking beans or rice.
8. Place on the middle shelf of a preheated oven at 400º and bake for 20 minutes.
9. Remove greaseproof paper and beans/rice and cook the quiche for a further 10 minutes.
10. Take it from the oven and leave it to cool.