Making pastry

Curry_Queen

A basic shortcrust recipe is half fat to flour, using a combination of lard and margarine i.e.

8oz plain flour
2oz margarine/butter
2oz lard
cold water to mix to a dough

I have no idea how much the jusroll stuff costs but half a pound of pastry would cost approx 20p to make yourself, and less if you use value flour

N9eav

Easy pastry.


BIG MIXING BOWL

1 bag 1.5kg plain flour Dump almost all the bag into the bowl

Chop into cubes, one 500g block of lard and one 250g block of marg. Add this to the flour and rub in until it's like bread crumbs. Keep the bowl and hands cool.

Add one pint of cold water.

Mix together with a butter knife until it starts to bind together. Then get your hand in there and work it until its pretty much all together.

Tip that last bit of flour out of the bag onto the table.

Put your lump of pastry onto the floured table and press out flat with your hand. Fold a third into the middle and the other third on top of that, turn it 90 degress and do the same again until it's nice a smooth. Leave covered in the fridge for an hour. Use as much as you need and freeze the rest into blocks for next time.

miacat

thanks everyone for all your tips. going to have another go later in the week. will try the value flour too and make a larger quantity of pastry as suggested as it's not something i always feel like making. cheers , mia

exlibris

I too have a problem with pastry. I mix a large quantity, 2 or 3 pounds of flour mix to the crumb stage and keep it in the fridge. When needed add cold water a little at a time as it doesn,t seem to need as much as when freshly made.

My Mum always said I had too warm hands for pastry so this was my way round it.

moggins

I make mine with the food processor as I have arthritis in my fingers and can't do the breadcrumb bit. I've never had bad pastry since I started doing this.

scuzz

Are you leaving it to rest in the fridge before rolling it? That might be a factor

charley24

Going to make a Cheese and Potato Pie thru the week, can anyone tell me a patry receipe?

Also a one for sweet things (ie Jam Tarts) ?

Or is the pastry the same !

Sorry Newbie !

Rikki

The receipe is the same.

Half fat to plain flour . eg:- 8oz plain flour, 2oz butter/marg, 2oz white lard.
Rub to make breadcrumb consistency mix in cold water.
Let it rest in frdge for half an hour, then roll out on a lightly floured surface.

squeaky

Yep.

Although be-ro suggest adding an ounce (25g) sugar if you want sweet pastry - though it is optional.


http://www.be-ro.co.uk/f_insp.htm


Look up pastry on the right hand side and then select "shortcrust"

Queenie

squeaky ... don't we have a section on pastry in the Mega/Recipe Index? I do recall we had a whole thread about pastry a few months ago and there was heaps of advice given.