Quiche Crust / Shortcrust Pastry for Pies

Instructions

1. Place flour, salt and butter in a food processor. 
2. Pulse 10 times or until it looks like breadcrumbs.
3. With the motor running on low, pour 2.5 tbsp of water into the tube feeder.
4. Turn up to high and blitz for 30 seconds or until it turns into a ball of dough. Initially it will look like breadcrumbs, then it will turn into a ball of soft dough - some random escaped bits is fine. If it doesn't look like its coming together at 20 seconds, add another 1/2 tbsp of water. Don't blitz longer than 30 seconds at most.
5. Form a disc, wrap in cling wrap. If there are escaped crumble bits, that's fine - just press them in. Refrigerate for 1 - 3 hours.
6. Preheat oven to 200C/390F (standard) or 180C/350F (fan forced)
7. Sprinkle work surface with flour, unwrap dough and place on the flour. Sprinkle top with flour, then roll out into a 27cm/11" round.
8. Gently roll the pastry so it wraps around the rolling pin.
9. Unroll it over the quiche pan or pie dish - 23cm / 9".
10. Press the pastry into the edges of the quiche pan, patching up edges if required (if pastry doesn't quite reach top of rim).
11. Roll the rolling pin across the top to cut off the excess pastry.
12. Optional extra "safe measure" refrigeration - 15 minutes. See (Note 2).
13. Place a large piece of parchment paper over the pastry, then fill with baking beads or lots of rice or dried beans to weigh it down. (Note 3)
14. Bake for 20 minutes, then remove from oven.
15.  Turn oven DOWN to 180C/350F (or 160C/320F fan).
16. Use excess paper to CAREFULLY remove hot beads, then return to oven for 10 minutes or until base is light golden.
17. Remove from oven and fill with chosen Quiche Filling. Quiche Lorraine, Salmon Quiche, Italian Sausage or your other filling of choice. 
18. The pastry will not be 100% cooked, it finishes cooking with the filling. It's cooked enough so the crust will not go soggy.