Easy Sweet Shortcrust Pastry Recipe For Pies

We must have a pie. Stress cannot exist in the presence of a pie.

David Mamet

Hey, Lovelies.

I am fond of a bit of procrasti-baking, and central to that is the capacity to make a quick pie.

I love this foolproof pastry recipe. You whizz it up in a food processor and then rest it for a couple of hours and it’s good to go.

It’s fast, and so easy, and once you have pastry, there is no end to the fun you can have turning it into other stuff.

This recipe gives enough for one pie crust and perhaps some offcuts. If you need a pie with a lid, double the quantity.

I’ll blog some ways to use this pie crust over the next few weeks, so stay tuned!
Love, and the happiness that only a fresh pie can bring, Nicole xx

Ingredients

1 and 2/3 cup plain (all purpose) flour

1 egg, chilled

125g (1/2 cup) butter, chilled and cut into small cubes

1 to 2 tablespoons icing sugar (powdered sugar/confectioners sugar) if you like sweet pastry. I often omit this.

1 tablespoon custard powder

2 to 4 tablespoons of really cold water

Method

1. Put all of the ingredients except the water into a food processor and blitz for about 30 seconds. If it has turned to crumbs stop. If it needs a bit more give a few more pulses but do not overwork. It should take less than a minute to become crumbs.
2. Add water a tablespoon at a time while blitzing, until the mixture comes together and forms a ball. Only add as much water as is needed to do this.
3. Remove the dough onto a cold smooth surface, or onto a piece of baking paper. Using clean hands press the ball into a large round disc about as big as your outstretched hand. Cover the dough and let it rest in the fridge for one to two hours.
4. Use as needed to make a pie crust.
5. If the pie crust needs to be baked first for your recipe, roll out dough and add to pie pan. Press into sides of pan and cut away any excess. Use extra pieces of pastry to plug any holes, pressing in with your clean fingers. To bake, prick the base all over with a fork, then add a piece of baking paper over the top of the pastry and bake blind by adding pie weights on top of the paper. I actually use rice (and keep a jar of rice just for baking blind). This weight stops the dough from rising up, so that it stays level and flat as your base. Cook in a moderate 180 degree Celsius/350 degree Fahrenheit oven for 10 to fifteen minutes or until lightly coloured. Remove from oven and then carefully remove paper and weights. Allow to cool.
6. Have fun filling your pie shell with the topping of your choice,

PS – When I used to bake with my grandmother, she let us use the leftover pastry bits to make jam tarts or little jam or fruit turnovers – I still do that now and think of her every single time ❤