Shortcrust pastry
Makes enough to line a 23cm quiche tin
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Resting time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
175g plain pastry
100g cold butter, diced
1 egg yolk
4 tbsp cold water *
* You may not need all 4 tbsp
Equipment
23 x 2.5cm loose bottomed, fluted tin
Baking beans or 150g rice
Method
Start with the pastry. Put the flour and butter into a large bowl and either by hand or in a processor combine until the mix looks like breadcrumbs. Add the egg yolk and 2 tbsp of cold water and bring together. If your pastry is too crumbly to gather properly then add another tbsp of cold water. You want to gather together and gently push down to just bring it together. Try not to overwork as then the pastry tends to shrink. Cover with clingfilm and put into the fridge for at least half an hour.
After half an hour roll out, carefully line your tin, very gently pushing your pastry into the flutes. You want the pastry to be slightly above the edge. Lightly prick the base with a fork and put back into the fridge for 10 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 180c and put a baking tray into the oven.
After 10 minutes gently trim the top of the pastry then gently push the pasty into the flutes so it stretches and it is a little above the edge of your tin. Keep the leftover pastry in the cling film. Scrunch up a sheet of baking paper and put on the pastry then top with the baking beans or rice. Cook for 15 minutes. The remove the beans and baking paper and beans and put back into the oven for another 5 minutes. If you notice any holes at any point in the pastry then just patch up with your leftover pastry carefully.
Remove from the oven when the pastry is golden.