This 4 ingredients Savoury Shortcrust Pastry for Quiches, Tarts & Pies is super quick and easy to prepare in the food processor. This simple savoury pie crust is so flakey and light - you will never want to buy a pre-made one ever again!
Place the Flour and Salt in the bowl of your Food processor and pulse to mix.
Add the very cold Butter, cut into small cubes, and slowly pulse to blend it into the flour until you get a thin crumb like consistency.
While pulsing, slowly add the very cold Water a little bit at the time.Stop as soon as the dough comes together (see note 1) and transfer over a sheet of baking paper on your kitchen bench.
Assemble the dough into a ball and gently flatten it with your hands. Place a second sheet of baking paper over it, and leave to rest for about 10 minutes.
Roll the Pastry into a large circle (see note 2) about 4mm - 1/8 inch thick. Place the tart pan over it to check it is rolled wide enough to fill it.
Place the rolled pastry over a flat tray and leave in the fridge to rest for at least 1 hour (or up to 24 hours).
Remove the two baking sheets and place the rolled pastry inside the Quiche/Tart Pan. Gently slide down the pastry along the sides of the pans, then press it against the pan so that it sticks to it. Remove any excess with a small pairing knife or rolling pin (see note 3).
Poke the bottom of the pastry with a fork, then place back in the fridge to rest for at least 1 hour (or up to 24 hours). Just before baking the pastry, place it in the freezer (for at least 15 minutes) to make sure the butter is extremely cold, almost frozen.
Bake according to the recipe instructions - either blind-baked for 20 minutes at 180'C/350'F filled with baking paper and baking weights (beads, dried beans, rice etc...) or directly with the filling.
Video
Notes
This recipe will make 1 tart crust that will fit most tart/quiche pans: from deep pans (5 cm / 2 inch deep) up to 25 cm / 10 inch wide, to shallow pans (about 2,5 cm / 1 inch deep) up to 28 cm / 10 cm wide. For smaller or wider pans, adjusts the quantities following the 3:2:1 quantity ratio.
Depending on the flour you use, you might need a little bit more or less water. Make sure to slowly add the water, blend well between each addition and stop as soon as the dough seems to come together. There is enough water if the crumbs stick together when you pinch them between your fingers. If very wet or sticky, you probably added a little bit too much water. Simply add a little bit more flour.
The best way to roll a pastry is by going in one direction only, and turning the pastry 90 degrees instead or turning the rolling pin the other direction. The thickness of the rolled pastry should be about 3 to 4 mm - 1/6 to 1/8 inch
The best way to avoid a collapsing pastry in the oven is to insure there is no air gap between the sides and the bottom of the pastry. Make sure the bottom corners are packed tightly against the pan. If the pastry cracks or is too low around some parts of the pan, simply patch it up with your fingers and use any excess dough where you are missing some.