French Tart Pastry

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups unsifted all-purpose flour (stir to aerate before measuring)
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 ounces unsalted butter, cold and firm, cut into small pieces (1 stick)
• 1 cold egg
• 1 tablespoon ice water

Directions

1. 1

   Fit bowl of food processor with the metal blade; add in the flour, sugar, salt, and butter.

2. 2

   Process on/off for 10 seconds (ten 1 second pulses) until the mixture resembles coarse meal.

3. 3

   Add the egg and water to a small bowl; beat to mix.

4. 4

   Through the feed tube, add the egg/water mixture and continue to process briefly (about 20 seconds) only until the mixture barely (but not completely) holds together.

5. 5

   Turn mixture out onto a large unfloured board or smooth work surface; knead briefly (only a few seconds) until the mixture is smooth and holds together; press the mixture together to form a ball.

6. 6

   Smooth the sides and flour it lightly.

7. 7

   *Unless the kitchen is terribly hot, or unless you have handled the mixture too much (enough to melt the butter), it is not necessary to refrigerate this before using; if you must, refrigerate it for only about an hour or less; if it is refrigerated too long it will crack when you roll it out.

8. 8

   Roll out and fit into tart pan.