Butter Short Crust Pastry

Lacto Vegetarian Recipe From Olivia Sinton

The secret to successful pie crust, besides quality ingredients, is to chill every ingredient, even the pastry blender and the bowl

Makes enough dough for one single crust 9 inch pie. Use this vegan pie crust recipe for any pie, vegan or not.

Double the recipe for pies with a top crust. You'll have a bit left over for a few tarts or pie crust cookies, invented by children for children (cut out shapes with cookie cutter, sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon :-)

For best results handle the dough as little as possible and begin with thoroughly chilled ingredients

Butter Short Crust Pastry Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter (1 stick) room temperature
• 1 1/2 cup unbleached white flour, sifted through a sieve or strainer
• 1 Tbsp water
• 1/4 cup sugar (coarse, unrefined if available)

Directions:

1. Place one third of the sifted flour, all of the butter and the water in a mixing bowl
2. Cream with a fork or pastry blender until well mixed
3. Stir in the remaining flour to form a firm dough
4. Turn out onto a lightly floured tabletop or board and knead thoroughly until smooth and silky
5. Place in a plastic bag and leave in the refrigerator for 1/2 - 1 hour (Don't leave the dough in the fridge too long, as it will become hard and difficult to roll out)
6. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees
7. Roll out the crust to fit a shallow 8 or 9" pie pan, place in pan and trim the edges
8. Prick all over the bottom with a fork, and bake for 10 - 15 minutes
9. Cool on a rack