BASIC PASTRY FOR TARTS

This is a simple and easy to make pastry recipe. This "PÂTE BRISEE" or "SHORTCRUST PASTRY" is very useful when making "QUICHES" or any fruit tart. It is fitted for any sweet or savoury dish. The quantity of ingredients is sufficient for a 30 cm tart case. I never measure the quantity of water I add, so I hope you'll not have big problems while making this pastry!...

Ingredients:
300g Plain white flour (no self-raising flour)
1 Tsp Salt (you can add 1/2 Tsp more if you like to taste the salt)
150g Unsalted butter or 100g Unsalted butter & 50g Lard
~80 ml Water

Method:
1. Sift the flour and salt into a bowl/bassin.
2. Add butter and rub between the fingers until the mixture is flaky.
3. Pour in water, gradually, while continuously cutting and stirring with a knife. Stop adding water when the dough is stiff. It should not be sticky or wet. Gather up into a soft ball.
4.Dust your working area and rolling pin with flour and shape the pastry by rolling away from you and always turning the pastry around in order to achieve a round shape.

Remarks:
Always lift the flour out of the bowl while rubbing; it makes the butter/flour mixture airy.
Be careful not to add too much water as the pastry should not be stick to the touch.
While mixing the water to the flour/butter mixture never work the pastry like a bread dough, otherwise you would end up with a stiff, hard and elastic pastry.

(Shortcrust Pastry -Pic by www.theyummyco.com)