My new favorite thing
The shortcrust pastry is a new found love of mine. I suppose I have had it before but had never made it from scratch. You have most likely seen it before as well but may not have tried to make it yourself. It is the pastry dough that envelopes the classic dish known as a pasty.
A Shortcrust pastry explanation
A pasty is simply a pocket of pastry filled with whatever you feel like. They may range from sweet to savory. Though traditionally they have onions, uncooked meat, swede (rutabaga or yellow turnip), salt, and pepper. All placed in the middle of a shortcrust pastry round that is then folded over and crimped shut to form a seal. They are then baked until golden brown. Now that is known as a cornish pasty from cornwall but there are all sorts of variations today.
Just a few weeks ago I made a Nordic/Scottish styled pasty with salmon, turnip, onions, salt, pepper, and caraway. It was fantastic.
Other types of shortcrust pastry
There are also other variations such as the sweet shortcrust pasty which was brought over to jamaica where they added spices such as turmeric and created what you may know today as the Jamaican beef patty. That was a fun one to learn. All food is developed throughout history and adapted into different cultures and cuisines.
And the shortcrust pastry dough is not only used in pasties and hand pies, but it is also used to make traditional pies that have open tops such as tarts and fruit pies. Or maybe my scrumptious quiche!
Time to start mixing
Using a stand mixer or large metal bowl, mix together the flour and salt.
Add your fats and flake them into the flour until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. (If using a stand mixture, make sure to use it on the lowest speed with the paddle attachment.)
You may also use the pastry paddle attachment. I recently got one and it is amazing! I never even knew they existed.
Make a well in the center and add your egg and water. Mix the flour into the center and keep gradually adding until the dough is fully formed.
Knead the dough 2 or 3 times until it is smooth. Try not to overwork the dough or it will lose the flakiness in the final product. Cover in plastic wrap and let it rest in the fridge for 20 minutes.
The dough will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days and 1 month in the freezer.
Shortcrust Pastry
Equipment
- Parchment paper
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour 250g
- 1 tsp salt
- 9 Tbsp cold butter or (50/50 butter and lard) 125g
- 1 large egg
- 1/3 cup water 90ml
Instructions
- Using a stand mixer or large metal bowl, mix together the flour and salt.
- Add your fats and flake them into the flour until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. (If using a stand mixture, make sure to use it on the lowest speed with the paddle attachment.)
- Make a well in the center and add your egg and water. Mix the flour into the center and keep gradually adding until the dough is fully formed.
- Knead the dough 2 or 3 times until it is smooth. Try not to overwork the dough or it will lose the flakiness in the final product. Cover in plastic wrap and let it rest in the fridge for 20 minutes.
- The dough will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days and 1 month in the freezer.