Make it Flaky

Posted on May 8, 2012

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I am not sharing this because it’s healthy.

I am not sharing this because it’s pretty.

It’s not even a clever or complicated dish.

In fact…you could say that it’s just a big sausage roll.

Point taken.

I wanted to show you a quick flaky pastry recipe that I think is easier to make than shortcrust.

I love shortcrust pastry. I’d choose it over a daft puff-pastry topped pub pie any day.

But sometimes you need something a bit flakier, and you don’t want to wimp out by shlepping to the shops for ready-to-roll puff pastry. This stuff is perfect when you decide to make some sausage rolls, or great big sausage pie like this one.

Please don’t judge. We like-a-da-pie.

Quickie Flaky Pastry

  • 2oz lard
  • 4oz good quality butter
  • 8oz plain flour and a pinch of salt
  • Some ice cold water

How to make it

  1. Put the butter and lard in the freezer for 45 minutes.
  2. With a cheese grater quickly grate the fats into the flour.
  3. Dip the butter or lard chunks into the flour if it get’s sticky.
  4. Cut and mix the flour and fat together with a knife, adding a pinch of salt.
  5. Add splashes of cold water until it starts to come together.
  6. Work quickly and lightly and pull the dough together into a shaggy ball.
  7. Wrap the dough in cling film or drop it into a ziplock bag and chill for 30 minutes.
  8. Roll out quickly with plenty of flour, don’t let it get warm or the fat will melt.

Use it to make lovely lardy pie.

We made ours with delicious local sausage meat mixed with an egg and a handful of panko crumbs. Just brush it with egg, snip with scissors, then bake for about an hour in a ‘quite hot’ oven.

Oh, and don’t forget to add a novelty pastry design to remind you what’s in it.

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Posted in: Baking, Children, Claire, Food, Main Courses, Meaty, Original Recipes