Shortcrust Pastry

• 3 tablespoons water (1.5 fl.oz., up to half can be lemon juice)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 86 grams unsalted butter, at refrigerator temperature (3 oz.wt.)
• 140 grams pastry flour (5 oz.wt.)
• 5 grams sugar (about 1 teaspoon, optional)

Dissolve salt in water and put into freezer to chill.

Cut butter up into 6 pieces. If lumpy, sift flour to aerate it.

Insert metal blade into work bowl of food processor. Add flour and any sugar; scatter butter pieces on top. Pulse/chop flour and butter until mixture resembles coarse meal, about 12 times or more. Sprinkle chilled water over butter/flour mixture. Pulse/chop until dough begins to come together but is still crumbly, about 8 times or more.

Dump out onto a large square of clear plastic wrap. Gather up and shape into a ball. Place in a plastic food storage bag and put in refrigerator to chill until ready to use.

Yield: about 9.5 ounces pastry