Quick shortcrust pastry

In the UK "shortcrust pastry " is the name of this preparation.

In italy we have, instead, different names and types of it depending on how you prepare it and how much flour, water and butter (or oil) you put!

Moving to the UK this difference made me very confused as I never knew which pastry was the one I was buying and actually the one I wanted to buy... 🤣

The lightest version of the shortcrust pastry in Italy is called PASTA MATTA (literally means Mad dough!) It is made using the procedure below but with different doses: 40-50 g of butter, 150g of water and 300g of flour ( this is good for your cholesterol level!)

Then there is the PASTA SFOGLIA ( it would be similar to the puff pastry but a bit thicker...the procedure is very long but the result its amazing! )

Finally the last one is the one I am presenting today. In italian is called PASTA BRISE' ( and actually is not even italian but french... nevermind!)

I just would like to say something...that matter a lot to me... Not really related to this but as an Italian I have to say it...

CALZONE ( the folded pizza) is not made with shortcrust pastry

( and do not trust anyone who does this)!

Calzone is made with the pizza dough, it is a folded pizza cooked in the oven!

Also PANZEROTTO is still made with pizza dough

but it is fried instead .

There is no shortcrust pastry...

Thank you for listening!

Doses for 1 sheet

INGREDIENTS

- 100 g cold butter

- 200 g plain flour

- 50 g iced water

EQUIPMENTS

- rolling pin

PROCEDURE

I usually start by measuring in a glass the 50 g of water, then I put the glass in the freezer.

I then mix the flour and the cold butter cutted in small pieces until it becomes like breadcrumbs or better like sand!

At this point add the iced water and quick mix it together. Try to mix as less as possible as we do not want the butter to melt down or it will become wet, sticky and in order to manipulate the dough you will end up adding more flour so....quick !

Once the dough is mixed well, wrap it in cling film and put it in the fridge ( the longer the better!) we say about 30 minutes but if you are in a rush just do this first, then go an prepare your filling and as soon as this is ready take it out of the fridge!

Roll it with your rolling pin and make it as you like, thick, thin, rounded, square!

Go willd!

SUGGESTIONS

- You can do it with spreadable instead of butter, it will be only much more difficult to mix as it will stick very easily! For the spreadable/ margarine version check out the procedure I wrote down with pictures in this previous recipe! HERE!

Check on the rest of the blog for more recipes to find out how you can fill your shortcrust pastry! vegetables, meat, cheese! just name it!

Examples are

my italian style quiche, you can find the recipe HERE