Shortcrust Pastry - For the Manchester tart!

Shortcrust pastry

The recipe below doesn't include a recipe for the shortcrust pastry base, so I thought I better include one.

Ingredients

2 cups (8oz) plain flour
4 level tablespoons lard
4 level tablespoons butter or margarine
pinch of salt
cold water

Method

- Sift the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl.
- Add the lard and the butter and chop it up roughly with a knife.
- With cool fingertips, rub the fat into the flour until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
- Add 2 tablespoons of cold water and then, using a knife, mix lightly into a dough.
- Add a little more water if necessary but be careful not to add too much.
- The dough should not be sticky.
- Gently bring the dough into a ball by hand, gathering up any stray bits of dough.
- Leave to rest in the fridge for a couple of hours before using.
- To use, roll lightly with a rolling pin on a lightly floured surface.