Short crust pastry is very easy to make and it taste hundred times better if you make it at home, rather than buy it from the supermarket. Try it and you will never buy ready made pastry again, ever!

The dough can be prepared in advance and stored in the fridge or even kept frozen until you are ready to use it.

INGREDIENTS

for savoury short crust pastry

• 3 cups plain white flour
• 180 g unsalted butter (cold, chopped)
• 3 pinches salt
• 3 – 4 egg yolks (I used 4 small yolks)
• 2 – 3 tbs natural yogurt or soured cream

for sweet short crust pastry

• 2½ cup plain white flour
• 200 g unsalted butter (cold, chopped)
• ½ cup fine caster sugar
• 2 – 3 egg yolks (I used 3 small yolks)
• 3 tbs natural yogurt or soured cream

METHOD

1. To prepare pastry combine all ingredients for the short crust pastry except yogurt and knead fast as the dough shouldn’t get too hot.
2. Towards the end add yogurt gradually.
3. Create ball from the dough and place in the fridge for at least 1 hours or longer. You can even freeze the pastry until you are ready to use it.

Makes about 880 g pastry, enough for thick and tall 22,8 cm (9 inches) pie (bottom and top) or for about 4 thin topless tarts.

NOTES

If you are looking for short crust pastry recipes take a look at some of our recipes.

Savoury: Spinach & Feta Tart, Spinach & Roquefort Quiche, Turkey, Carrot, Potato and Leek Quiche Tart or Pizza Quiche.

Sweet: Szarlotka – Polish Apple Pie, Chocolate Egg Basket Tartelettes, Custard Tartlets with Fresh Fruits & Mint, Almond & Cranberry Kaymak Mazurek, Condensed Milk & Coffee Tarts with Almonds, Mixed Fruit & Condensed Milk Pie, Blackcurrant & Apple Pie or Norfolk Treacle Tart.