Mum’s All-Purpose Pastry

This recipe makes enough pastry for about 6 average pies. Freeze the excess for later.

I especially like to use it to make treacle tart and apple pie :)

Ingredients

2kg or 4lb 6oz self-raising flour. Whilst plain flour makes a traditional pastry, my Mum always used self raising, which makes this her unique pastry even if she used to be annoyed when it turned out cakey :)

1kg or 2lb 3oz butter or margarine

6 Eggs, with a little water

For Sweet Pastry

2 cups white sugar

For Savoury Pastry

3tsp salt

Method

Rub sugar (or salt), flour and margarine together until it feels like bread-crumbs.

Add egg water and mix gently until combined.

This pastry can be used for:

Treacle Tart. Fill the base of the pie with corn-flakes and treacle, make a grid design on top with pastry “sausages” bake in a moderate oven (190 degrees C or 325 degrees F) until pastry is browned slightly.

Jam Tart. Fill the base of the tart with jam, make a grid design on top with pastry “sausages” bake in a moderate oven until pastry is browned slightly.

Apple Pie. Blind bake the base of the pie, fill with cooked apple and cover with a pastry “lid”.
Bake in a moderate oven until pastry is browned slightly.