I often use the ready-made pastry if I’m trying to make a pie quickly, but home-made pastry is by far more yummy.
If you want to make your own pastry follow this recipe, make sure you have cold hands (something I never have so have to have about a hundred windows open while I’m cooking) and put on an apron.
These quantities are perfect for pie making, so just reduce or increase the amounts depending on what you are baking. If you want the pastry to be more buttery, just add a little more butter.
Ingredients
300g plain flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
150g unsalted butter, chilled and diced
3 1/2 tablespoons icy water
Method
1. Sift the flour and salt into a mixing bowl.
2. Add the cold butter and toss lightly so that all the pieces are well coated in flour.
3. Using a round- bladed knife, cut the butter into smaller pieces coating them all with flour as you go.
4. Using both hands rub the mixture together in-between your thumbs and forefingers, continue until the mixture looks like fine crumbs and no visible lumps of butter.
5. Gradually pour in the icy water while you stir with the knife.
6. Gather the dough together and knead it for a couple of seconds only so it forms a ball. Don’t handle it too much or the butter will melt and the pastry will become oily.
7. Wrap in cling film and chill for 15 to 20 mins so that it is firm before rolling out.
Abandon Spoon! 