Basic Tart Pastry - Plain

A good basic, plain tart pastry for making savory tarts for appetizers, sides and main dishes.

Recipe Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
7 1/2 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 1/2 tablespoons ice water

Cooking Directions:

1. In a bowl, combine the flour and salt. Using a pastry blender or the tips of your fingers, cut the butter into the flour mixture until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Using a fork, stir in the ice water just until dough comes together nicely. Form pastry into a ball and chill for 1 hour.
2. Roll pastry out on a lightly floured work surface into a circle slightly larger than the tart pan, place in pan and press onto bottom and edge of pan, then firmly roll the rolling pin across the top of the tart pan to trim away the excess pastry. (Or a quick and easy method is to simply omit chilling the dough first and firmly press dough evenly against the bottom and side of an ungreased tart pan with your fingertips).
3. Fill and bake the pastry according to directions of the recipe you are using, or if a pre-baked pastry is required, bake at 400°F (205°C) for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. (You can help prevent the pastry from becoming too puffy and bubbling by cutting out a circle of parchment or waxed paper and placing it on the tart pastry, then filling it with pastry weights, beans or rice. Remove the paper and weights a few minutes before the end of baking time to allow the pastry to brown. This procedure is called blind-baking).

Makes enough pastry for 1 (10-inch) round tart or 6 individual tart shells.