Easy steps to making shortcrust pastry let me show you how.

Some people think that making pastry is difficult. But  it is easy as long as you follow some simple steps and stick to some basic rules.

• 8 oz / 125g plain flour
• 4oz / 55g Butter, ensure that it is soft
• Pinch of salt
• 2 – 3 tbsp / 30 – 45 ml water

1. Sieve flour
2. Add butter. Always use soft butter. Using the rubbin in method, with your fingers, rub the butter into the flour until it looks like bread crumbs.
   

   Rubbing in butter to flour to make shortcrust pastry

3. Add the water gently until it forms a soft ball of dough. If you add too much water just add a bit more flour.
   

   Dough Ball www.farmcottages.com

    

4. This step is important. The dough needs to rest in a cold place for at least an hour. But can be left at this stage all day. The resting allows the butter so soak into the flour.
5. When you are ready to use the pastry. Gently kneed the pastry to slightly warm up the pastry and make it flexible to use.
6. Lightly flour a clean surface and roll out the pastry. Try to use as little flour as necessary.
   

   Rolling out pastry for a steak and kidney pie for www.farmcottages.com

   

   G Heart shaped pastry cutters to make a romantic decoration for a pie