pastry home made or bought?

[zuzazak]

i always buy pastry, but is home made pastry better?

if so does anyone have fail safe recipes for both shortcrust and puff pastries?

ta

[puddicat]

buy it mate too much hassle its not worth it!!!

[Rosetta]

Buy puff pastry for sure, its a beggar to make yourself. The bought stuff is good quality too.
I sometimes make shortcrust, but bought is much easier

[Jugglering]

I would agree with buying puff pastry... too much like hard work to make it yourself.. but shortcrust pastry from the shops is nasty... it shrinks like crazy.. so I would (as a serious cook) advise you to purchase puff pastry but to make your own shortcrust !

Recipe for shortcrust -

4 oz wholemeal or white flour
2 oz butter or marg
pinch of salt

rub the fat into the flour until you have a breadcrumb like mixture, then add a little COLD water... fork through until the mix starts to stick together, then get your fingers in and mix it lightly... and roll up to a smooth dough (do not overmix the dough or you will end up with nasty pastry).. On a floured surface, roll the pastry out gently, leave it to rest between each rolling, then place it on a greased baking tray and bake it blind. This means adding something like dried beans or coins to the uncooked pastry, placing it all in a hot oven (200 deg C) for about 10 minutes until the pastry starts to rise up, then removing from the heat...Remove the beans or coins, allow to cool (I usually add a little flour to the pastry) and fill with your quiche ingredients and bake at 200 deg C for however long it takes - say half an hour for egg and veg mixes.

[zuzazak]

thanks!