Baking

Savoury shortcrust pastry

Name: Savoury shortcrust pastry recipe
Yield: 560G
Ingredients: 110g cold unsalted butter, chopped (see note); 110ml water, at room temperature; 2 tsp white vinegar; 320g plain flour; 2 tsp fine salt

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560G

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by Michael James

May 30, 2023

“Being very sturdy, this pastry is great as a base for quiches. The leftover dough or trimmings can be used again until they’re used up, although the texture and taste will change. It’s very reliable and easy to make, making it a good pastry introduction for anyone learning alongside you.”

110g cold unsalted butter, chopped (see note)
110ml water, at room temperature
2 tsp white vinegar
320g plain flour
2 tsp fine salt

Method

1.

Remove butter from the fridge 30 minutes before you start.
2.

Combine water and vinegar in a jug. Place flour, salt and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix to break the butter into the flour until you have pea-sized lumps of butter and the mixture starts to look yellow.
3.

With the motor running slowly, pour in the water mixture and mix until it just comes together. You don’t want any dry pieces but you need to be careful not to overwork it. You can add a bit more water if you have any dry clumps, but don’t let the dough get sticky.
4.

Turn out dough and flatten to a 1cm-thick disc. Enclose in plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour before using.

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Recipe Notes

Once made, the dough will set hard as it contains lots of butter, so remove from the fridge at least 1 hour before you roll it so that it’s malleable without being soft. Pastry will keep for up to 1 week in the fridge and will freeze well for up to 3 months.