Editing Shortcrust pastry (section)

{{Short description|Base used for a tart, quiche or pie}}
{{more citations needed|date=June 2017}}
{{Infobox food
| name             = Shortcrust pastry
| image            = File:Vegan_Meat_Pie_01_Pengo.jpg
| caption          = A shortcrust pastry pie crust
| image_alt        = A shortcrust pastry pie crust
| country          = 
| region           = Western countries
| creator          = 
| course           = 
| type             = [[Pastry]]
| served           = 
| main_ingredient  = Fat ([[lard]], [[shortening]], [[butter]] or full-fat [[margarine]]), [[flour]], [[water]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Shortcrust pastry|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/shortcrustpastry_1278|publisher=[[BBC Food]]|access-date=7 June 2017}}</ref>
| variations       = 
| calories         = 
| other            = 
}}

'''Shortcrust''' is a type of [[pastry]] often used for the base of a [[tart]], [[quiche]], [[pie]], or (in the British English sense) [[Flan (pie)|flan]]. Shortcrust pastry can be used to make both sweet and savory pies such as apple pie, quiche, lemon meringue or chicken pie.

A sweetened version &ndash; using butter &ndash; is used in making [[spritz cookie]]s. 

Shortcrust pastry recipes usually call for twice as much [[flour]] as [[fat]] by weight. Fat (as [[lard]], [[shortening]], [[butter]] or traditional [[margarine]]) is rubbed into plain flour to create a loose mixture that is then bound using a small amount of ice water, rolled out, then shaped and placed to create the top or bottom of a pie. Often, equal amounts of butter and lard are used to make the pastry, ensuring that the combined weight of the two fat products is still half that of the flour. The butter is employed to give the pastry a rich flavor, while the lard ensures optimum texture.