Quiche Crust

A great crust for quiches. Use it with the Artichoke, Leek and Ham Quiche Filling #200905 or your own favorite filling. From Jan Roberts-Dominguez's "The Onion Cookbook". I've included both her by-hand and food processor directions. Preparation time includes chilling time.

• Ready In: 45 mins
• Yields: 1 10 - inch crust

Ingredients

• 1 1⁄2 cups flour (I use unbleached)
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 6  tablespoons butter, cold
• 3  tablespoons vegetable shortening, cut into small chunks
• 1  egg
• 3  tablespoons  ice water

Directions

1. Preparing the dough.
2. By Hand:
3. In a large bowl, mix the flour with the salt.
4. Using a pastry blender or 2 knives, cut the butter and vegetable shortening into the flour until it resembles coarse meal.
5. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and ice water.
6. Stirring with a fork, add only enough of this to the flour/butter mixture for the dough to start holding together.
7. Food Processor method:
8. Place the flour and salt into the work bowl of a food processor and pulse briefly.
9. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and ice water.
10. As you pulse the machine, add only enough of the egg/ice water mixture through the feed tube for the flour/butter mixture to start holding together.
11. Forming the crust:
12. Collect the pastry and form it into a ball on a lightly floured surface.
13. Gently press the ball into a flat circle about 1 inch thick.
14. Cover it with plastic wrap and chill for at least 20 minutes before rolling it out.
15. It can be refrigerated overnight at this point or frozen for later use.
16. When ready to use, sprinkle the work surface with more flour and roll the pastry into a 16-inch circle, 1/8 - 1/4 inch thick.
17. Lightly butter a 10 inch quiche or pie pan.
18. Gently press the dough into the pan.
19. Tuck the excess dough under to form a thick edge.
20. Crimp the edges decoratively with your fingers or a fork.
21. Refrigerate the crust until you are ready to use it in your favorite quiche recipe.
22. Not necessary to pre-bake before using however, if using with the Artichoke, Leek and Ham Quiche Filling #200905, partially bake at 350F for 10 minutes before adding the filling and baking.