The richest crumbliest pastry you ever tasted that can be used for sweet or savoury dishes.
I was given this recipe by a chef colleague over 20 years ago and I couldn’t believe how easy it was, considering the rich buttery taste. It tasted like it had come from a French patisserie. Prior to having this recipe I always thought pastry to be a bland vessel for holding more interesting and tasty goodies. But being given this recipe has changed my outlook completely. Now I make a thick pastry case for any of my baked goods, because I feel it deserves to be thought of in equal terms with the filling.
What’s even better about this recipe is that it can be adapted for whatever recipe you’re making. Quiche? Omit the sugar and add a few ounces of grated cheddar. Tomato Tart? Add chopped basil or dried mixed herbs. Pumpkin Pie – add some chopped pecans….. You get the idea. You can easily add some sort of flavour accent to compliment the dish you are making. One recipe of this quantity is enough to make the top and bottom of a deep filled fruit pie, or two pastry cases for open tarts or quiches etc. 
Make Ahead to save time
This recipe can also be made ahead and frozen. I would divide this recipe in two and roll into discs. If you wrap them in cling film and then also add them into a freezer zip lock bag they will keep in the freezer for 3/4 months. Usually in November I make up about 3 times this recipe, some sweet, some savoury and have them for baking around Christmas. And if I don’t use them at Christmas, I’ll still have them for a few months to turn into an apple pie or a quiche without pulling out the food processor. They can be defrosted overnight in the fridge or usually what I do – take them out in the morning before I go to work and they’re defrosted when I come home.
Tips for Rolling out this rich shortcrust pastry
If you’re just rolling out a 10 inch circle this pastry works like any normal pastry – roll out on a well floured surface. But if you were rolling out anything bigger I suggest rolling it out between two sheets of baking parchment or even cling film. It just gets a little trickier to handle when you’re working with a big amount so having the parchment to help lift it is useful. Having said that, this pastry is the type that if it breaks up, it is easily patched. It sticks to itself really well so there’s no need to go to the trouble of glueing with water or egg wash when you have a breakage.
Time to roll out the food processor
Did I mention that I make this in the food processor? Now you don’t have to – it can still be made in the traditional way – rubbing in the butter to resemble fine breadcrumbs, then adding the sugar and egg to bring to a soft dough. But it is so easy in the food processor and why not make several batches when you have the processor out and getting dirty. Like I mentioned above, you can freeze this. It will even keep for over a week in the fridge.
Rich Shortcrust Pastry
Equipment
- Food Processor Not absolutely necessary, but so useful
Ingredients
- 16 oz Plain Flour (All Purpose)
- 10 oz Good quality butter cut into cubes and chilled
- 2 oz caster sugar optional
- 1 pinch salt
- 2 eggs beaten
Instructions
- Add flour, butter, sugar and salt to the jug of the food processor in that order.
- Turn on using the low speed setting and allow it to mix until it forms fine breadcrumbs.
- Slowly add in the eggs with the blade still running and continue to run the blade until the mixture starts to come together. This takes about a minute, and you may need to manipulate the processor around, without disconnecting the bowl of course to allow the mixture to come together. Stop the blade before the dough forms into a single clump.
- Dump the mixture into a bowl or onto the work surface and bring it into a cohesive ball with your hands.
- Form into one or two flat discs (depending on your intended use), wrap in cling film and put in the fridge for 20 minutes if time allows, though you can use it straight away if necessary. Otherwise put into a zip lock freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 or 4 months.
- If rolling one of two discs, just roll out in the normal way on a floured surface, but if rolling out one large disc i.e. more than 10" diameter it is best to roll out between two sheets of parchment paper or two pieces of cling film. Roll out to about quarter to eighth of an inch thick. Then remove the top sheet of paper or film, and use the bottom sheet to lift the pastry, while turning over onto the baking sheet or tin. Then remove the bottom layer of parchment or film.
Notes
Check out the following recipe using this pastry – Mince Pies for Christmas
