Shortcrust pastry

Step 1

Place the flour and butter in the bowl of a food processor and process until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. (Only use chilled butter for a short-textured pastry. Warm butter will heat up the flour and lengthen the gluten, resulting in a tough pastry.)

Step 2

Add the egg yolk and water, and process until dough just starts to come together. (Don't overprocess as this will again lengthen the gluten, making the pastry shrink and become tough.)

Step 3

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead lightly until just smooth. Shape into a disc, cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 30 minutes to rest.

Step 4

Preheat oven to 200C. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to a 3mm-thick disc. Line a round 23cm (base measurement) fluted tart tin, with removable base, with pastry and trim any excess. (Use a paring knife or run the rolling pin over the edges of the tin to cut off any excess pastry). Place in the fridge for 15 minutes to rest.

Step 5

Cover the pastry base with baking paper (it's best to use paper that has been scrunched up and flattened out as it will fit into the corners of the pastry base more easily) and fill with pastry weights, rice or dried beans. Place on a baking tray and bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes.

Step 6

Remove the paper and pastry weights, rice or beans, and bake for a further 10 minutes or until golden. Remove from oven.