I’ve made a few different pastries in my life but this is my absolute “go-to” recipe.  What makes it great? Number 1)  Its easy – three ingredients and no I don’t put salt in pastry.  You can if you want to but there ie enough salt in everything we eat and besides the more salt you eat the more you need in order to taste anything at all. Number 2 – it rolls really really thin so you actually make very thin crisp pastry shells which are better for you plus you have more filling than pastry to eat.  Number 3 – kind of linked to number 2…it is a really pliable pastry and will never crack up on you and you in turn need never crack up making a pastry shell. Number 4 – it works really well for mini tarts that are so small they do not need blind baking.

Ingredients

250g flour

225g butter (82% fat)  cut into fairly chunky cubes if you are using a food mixer/processor and smaller ones if making by hand

60ml ice cold water

Gadgets & Gizmos

I make my pastry in my trusty Kenwood but you can also do this in a food processor. Alternatively take a large mixing bowl, a regular table knife and use your hands.

How To

With the “K” attachment of your Kenwood or Kitchen Aid, or in a food processor mix/blitz the butter and flour until it looks like fine sand.  It may have a few larger chunks of butter – its not a disaster. Now add the water all in one go and mix gently until the pastry is one big lump and the sides of the bowl are “clean”.  In fact I then take the pastry out and mix up my filling in the same bowl thus saving washing up and the planet in one go.

Its best to relax it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes wrapped in cling film or inside a plastic bag but I confess I often do not have time. It freezes just great too and because it doesn’t contain egg is a little safer as well.

I use it both for savoury and sweet tarts.