I made quiche over the weekend and the pastry shell turned out perfectly—light, flaky and golden, giving a bit of crunch to the delicate filling.

Pastry can make or break an otherwise fabulous dish. A delicious filling will pale if it’s served in soggy pastry. Particularly with things like quiche or pie where the filling is soft, it’s important to get a crisp shell to add texture.

Here’s how to go about it…

500g organic plain flour
250g butter, cut into cubes
2 large eggs, beaten
Pinch of sea salt
A splash of milk

Put the flour, butter and sea salt into the food processor and pulse for 30 seconds until the mixture becomes fine crumbs.

Add the eggs and milk and pulse until the mixture comes together. Gently tip the dough out onto a floured bench and draw it together into a ball. Wrap in cling film and put it in the fridge to rest for at least 30 minutes (or freeze to use on another occasion).

Pull the pastry out of the fridge and roll to the desired thickness. Be sure to blind bake it until the pastry is golden, dry and firm. Allow to cool and then add the filling.