Tarte Base

A traditional French Tarte Base

Ingredients for 1

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Ingredients
250	grams	plain flour
125	grams	butter
1	egg	egg	(50 grams)
1/8	teaspoon	salt	(1 grams)
1	teaspoon	water	(5 mls)

Salt content: 0.2% (by weight, not counting salt in other ingredients)

The ingredients are for one tarte base, not for one person in case you were wondering

Method

Pulse together the flour, butter and salt in a food processor or kitchen mixer until you reach a sandy texture. Add the egg, water and pulse/mix again. If you over mix the dough at this stage it will lose its flakiness.
Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead with the palms of your hands for 30 seconds, or until the dough is smooth and well combined.
With the palm of your hand flatten the dough slightly to 1cm/ 1/2inch thickness, then sandwich it between two large sheets of cling film. Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Step-by-Step Instructions

	Put your plain flour into the mixing bowl of your mixer or food processor.
	Cut your butter into cubes. The butter should be at room temperature. If it comes straight out of the fridge, cut into cubes and let it sit outside the fridge for 20 minutes.
	Add a pinch of salt to the flour.
	Add the butter to your mixing bowl.
	Mix until the flour and the butter have combined into a sandy mixture.
	This is what your mixture should look like.
	Now add the egg ...
	... and the water.
	Mix very carefully for quite a short time - you only want the ingredients to combine. Stop as soon as your mixture looks like in this picture. If you overwork the dough, it will lose it's flakiness.
	Knead the dough for 30 seconds until well combined.
	Form a round, flat shape out of the dough and put it between two large sheets of cling film. Let it rest and cool down in the fridge for 30 minutes.
	Now roll out the dough whilst still between the two sheets of cling film.
	When it's slightly larger than your pie form, take off one of the sheets of cling film.
	Now turn it upside down and put it into your pie form and take off the other sheet of cling film.
	Fold the dough into the pie form rather than stretching it into the corner.
	Now fold the excess dough over the rim of your pie form.
	Now cut off the excess dough with a rolling pin.
	Now use your thumb and index finger and squeeze the rim of the pie so it stands up slightly over the pie form.
	Use a fork to pierce the bottom of the pie. Put the pie base into the fridge for 20 minutes until you use it.