pastry

[fedda]

Hello, I wonder if anyone could share with me a recipy of pastry which doesn't involve water. I'm afraid i always go wrong when the recipy calls for a couple of spoons of water. i'd like to bake a pie and make my own pastry because I'm truly fed up with my husbans commenting on perfect shop bought pastry. My mum used to make perfect pies every time but unfortunately she had never measured anything, she just had the feel while I'm not. Would anyone please help me surprise my husband who is a very good cook? Ta very much.

Anyone?

I'm out here wishing I could help but my pastry is rubbish! In fact, a packet of shop-bought is defrosting as I type I just can't get the hang of it. My sister swears by chilling it in the fridge for 30 mins after making it, and rolling it out under clingfilm, but I don't know how much water either...

well the thing it that pastry, as do all flour things, depends on the weather. If it is very wet then you need less water to bind it and if it's drier...... What I do with pastry is turn the kitchen tap on to a drip and take the bowl over to the the sink and while mixing with the blade of a cold knife, mix the pastry with the drops of water til it forms a stiff dough.

Also the trick with pastry is to have very cold hands when rubbing in the fat and don't over work it. Also a combination of lard or white flora and butter helps to shorten the pastry and make it light.

Or you could trim up your lady garden, get some new knickers and surprise him with that on the dinner table

oh yes, the wrapping in clingfilm and the resting after it's mixed is vital, good point slayerette.

Sunny, love you and all that, but are you saying that I should use less water when it's raining and more in the summer?

yes

I am

the flour will absorb moisture from the atmosphere.

you have to treat dough and pastry etc as a living creature and take account of it's watery sensitivities

I thought you were joking, I can see why though, thanks for that.

I only came on mumsnet to browse today and I keep learning.... what with WWW's boutique hotel (assumed it was a dorothy perkins) and now you..

tut, you doubting Thomasina

Good rule of thumb for pastry is use 1/2 the ammount of fat to flour and the best fat is a 50/50 mix of butter and lard

so

1lb flour needs 4oz lard and 4 oz butter

Keep everything really cold. I rub in with a food processor (hot hands) my mates hubby runs his hands under cold water before he starts rubbing in. Use your finger tips and handle it lightly

Once fat and flour combined add fridge cold water a tablespoon at a time to bind (so s Delia)

Once you have the water in, wrap the pastry dough in cling film and put in fridge for at least 1/2 hr

Thank you everybody for your advice. No recipy without water then? I had this idea of using an egg or two or an egg yolk instead of water as I've tried running cold tap, adding a drop at a time and so far it's hard!