Best 7 Basic Pastry Recipes

BASIC PASTRY DOUGH

Steps:

• In a food processor, pulse flour and salt to combine. Add cold butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, with a few pea-size pieces of butter remaining. Sprinkle with ice water. Pulse until dough is crumbly but holds together when squeezed (if necessary, add up to 3 tablespoons more water, 1 tablespoon at a time). Do not overmix. Form dough into a 1-inch-thick disk, wrap tightly in plastic, and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour (or up to 3 days).

BASIC SHORT-CRUST PASTRY

Steps:

• Put flour and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer or food processor. Add butter and quickly cut it into flour until mixture resembles coarse meal.
• Add ice water and mix briefly, about 30 seconds, to form a soft dough. Remove dough, shape into a thick disk, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight. Bring to cool room temperature before rolling.
• To roll, lightly flour dough and counter. Roll out gradually, periodically letting dough rest for a moment before continuing. This makes rolling easier and will keep dough from shrinking back during baking.
• Roll dough to a thin round approximately 13 inches in diameter, then trim to make a 12-inch circle (refrigerate and save trimmings for patching). Lay dough loosely into a 9 1/2-inch fluted tart pan with removable bottom, letting it relax a bit. Fold overlap back inside to make a double thickness, then press firmly against the pan so the finished edge is slightly higher than the pan. Refrigerate or freeze for an hour before pre-baking.

BASIC PIE PASTRY

Steps:

• Combine the flour, sugar, salt, and lemon zest in a large mixing bowl. Add the butter and mix with a pastry blender or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the egg yolk and ice water and work that in with your hands. (Or do the whole thing in a food processor, pulsing a couple of times to combine the dry ingredients, then pulsing in the butter, and then the egg.) Check the consistency of the dough by squeezing a small amount together between thumb and forefingers: You want there to be just enough moisture to bind the dough so that it holds together without being too wet or sticky. If it's still crumbly, add a little more ice water, 1 teaspoon at a time. When you get it to the right consistency, shape the dough into a disk and wrap it in plastic. Put it in the refrigerator and chill for at least 30 minutes.

BASIC PIE PASTRY

Steps:

• Mix the flour and salt together in a bowl. Cut in the shortening with a pastry blender or two knives until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Divide into three portions. Add some of the ice water to one portion of the mixture, a little at a time, working just until the dough holds together. Set aside. Repeat with each of the remaining two portions. Gather all the dough together into a smooth ball and flatten into a disk. Add more ice water if still dry. Wrap well with plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes or up to 3 days.
• Flour a board, wax paper, or pie cloth and use a floured or stockinged rolling pin to roll out the dough. Place the dough disk in the center of the floured surfaced. Starting in the center of the dough, roll to, but not over, the top edge of the dough. Go back to the center, and roll down to, but not over, the bottom edge. Pick up the dough and turn it a quarter circle. This will keep it round and keep it from sticking.
• Continue rolling, repeating the quarter turns until you have a disk 1/8 inch thick and 1 1/2 inches larger than your pan. Fold in quarters.
• Place the pastry in a 9-inch pie pan with the tip of the triangle in the center and unfold. Trim the pastry 1 inch larger than the pie pan and fold the overhanging pastry under itself. To decorate, press the tines or handle end of a fork around the edge. To make a fluted pattern, use both of your thumbs to pinch the dough all around the rim so that the edge of the dough stands up. Place in the freezer or chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or up to 3 days, wrapped before baking.
• To prebake, preheat the oven to 425°F. Prick the pastry all over with a fork. Crumple a piece of wax paper, then open it out to the edges of the pan. Weight the paper with raw rice or dried peas. Bake for 20 minutes. Carefully remove the paper and rice or peas and paper. (The rice or peas may be used again the next time you prebake a pie crust.) Now the prebaked shell can be filled with a filling and baked according to the filling directions. If the filling requires no cooking, bake the pie shell 10 minutes before filling.
• Two-Crust Pie Directions
• If making a two-crust pie, double the ingredients and make the bottom crust larger than the top crust. Dampen the rim of the bottom crust before putting on the top one, then seal the two together. Be very careful not to stretch either dough, so they stay together when baked.

BASIC PIE PASTRY

Steps:

• In a food processor, combine flour and salt. Add shortening; cover and pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. While processing, gradually add soda until dough forms a ball. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or until easy to handle., For two single crust pies, on a lightly floured surface, roll out half of the pastry to fit a 9-in. pie plate. Transfer pastry to pie plate. Trim pastry to 1/2 in. beyond edge of plate; flute edges. Repeat with remaining pastry. Fill or bake according to recipe directions., For a double crust pie, divide dough in half so that one portion is slightly larger than the other. On a lightly floured surface, roll out larger portion to fit a 9-in. pie plate. Transfer pastry to pie plate. Trim pastry to 1 in. beyond edge of plate. Add filling., Roll out remaining pastry to fit top of pie; place over filling. Trim, seal and flute edges. Cut slits in pastry. Bake according to recipe directions.

BASIC SHORT PASTRY

Steps:

• Place the flour, salt, and butter in a food processor. Blitz until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs, about 10 sec. Tip into a mxing blow. Add 4 Ybs if water and stir with a table knife until the dough just comes together. If it seems too dry, add 1-2 Tbs more water. Lightly knead the dough into a smooth ball, war in plastic wrap and refridgerate for at least 30 mins before using.

BASIC SHORTCRUST PASTRY (GORDON RAMSAY) RECIPE - (4.6/5)

Steps:

• 1. Place flour and salt in a food processor. Add the butter and mix for about 10 seconds, or until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Tip into a mixing bowl. 2. Add 4 TBS of water and stir the mixture with a butter knife until the dough just comes together. If it seems too dry, add another 1-2 TBS of water. Try not to make the dough too wet, as it results in a crumbly pastry. 3. Lightly knead the dough into a smooth ball, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for at least 30 minutes before using. Makes 2 cups (16 oz) of dough. Entire recipe = 36 Weight Watchers points.