I have a pastry-making obsession. It started small. A quiche here, a tart there. Today I’ve made two batches of my easy sour cream shortcrust pastry for pies and tarts, and frozen another batch for later use. One will be used as a homemade sour cream pie crust, and the other will be put to good use as a tart for lunches this week.

savoury tart shell ready for blind baking with a rolling pin on top

So many people have a thing about making pastry. Now I’m the first to say, I always cheat when it comes to puff pastry. I mean, who has the time? But a simple shortcrust or sweet pie crust recipe is relatively quick and easy to make. Use it in a tart tin for a more formal look or as a base (or rustic lid) when pie-making. It’s quick, easy, and has so many recipe options.

What you need to get stared

Unsalted butter – cold, straight from the fridge.
Plain, all purpose flour
Sea salt flakes. I use Murray River sea salt flakes in most of my cooking.
Fresh Eggs
Full-fat sour cream.

Equipment

A good shortcrust pastry works best when it’s handled as little as possible and let the dough rest. You can make pastry by hand, with a pastry blender, in a stand mixer, or, like I do, in a food processor. I’ve tried all ways over the years but I’m such a fan of making pastry in my trusty Magimix Cook Expert. As well as cutting down time, I believe a food processor also makes the best pastry as it works the pastry as quickly as possible without overworking the dough.

Parchment paper/baking paper and baking beads (or, as I do, some old beans which I reuse over and over again as baking beads)

This pastry easily covers a 25cm tart tin or 8-10 tartlets (depending on size). To make this recipe, I use a 25 x 3.5cm non-stick, shallow tart tin.

Here’s how to make a sour cream pie crust

In a food processor, pop in the dough blade ready for use.
Roughly chop the butter into 2cm square pieces. Pop the pieces of butter into the food processor along with the flour and salt. Pulse until the flour/butter mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
Add the egg and sour cream and pulse the flour mixture until the dough forms into a ball. This only will take a minute or so.
Place the large ball of dough in a small bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and pop in the fridge for at least an hour.
Preheat the oven to 160°c
Grease a tart tin with butter.
Roll the pastry dough out onto a lightly floured surface at an even thickness. Use the tart tin as a guide to ensure the pastry will generously cover both the base and
the sides of the tart tin. Roll your pastry dough onto your rolling pin and gently drape it over the quiche tin. Carefully mold the dough around the base and edges.
Using a sharp knife, run the knife along the edge of the tart tin, cutting off any excess dough. Alternatively, roll your rolling pin over the top of the tart tin. This will also remove any excess dough. Using a fork, prick the base of the pastry all over. Line the dough with greaseproof baking paper and fill to the top with baking beads/rice /beans.
Pop the tart base into the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Remove the tart from the oven and remove the baking beads and greaseproof paper from the tart. Pop back into the oven for an additional 10 minutes. Remove the tart base from the oven.
You now have a blind-baked, sour cream pie crust ready for filling!

savoury tart shell filled with baking beans ready for blind baking

Cooks notes

This sour cream pastry dough easily covers a 25cm tart tin or 8-10 tartlets.

Don’t be afraid to use this recipe with a sweet filling. Some fillings (I’m looking at you lemon curd!) are so deliciously sweet, that a little savoury in the tart shell makes little to no difference!

Why do you dock your pastry?

To prick your pastry with a fork (or to ‘dock’ it) helps to ensure bubbles don’t rise in the pastry when blind baking. Some people either dock or use the baking beads as I do. Some people, like me, do both. I figure there is no harm and my pastry rarely gets bubbles in it so I’m not about to change something that works!

What do I use this tart shell for?

It’s only limited by your imagination. Are you a ham and cheese person? Personally, I love a ham and cheese tart. Usually, I look at what is either in the fridge, or what’s in season and go from there. In winter I tend to gravitate towards tarts with roasted root vegetables. In spring and summer, think tomato, basil, and bocconcini, or asparagus and gruyere. There are so many variations. I love my caramelized balsamic onion and goat’s cheese tart. It’s an oldie but a goodie and is always a crowd favorite!

Storage

Sour cream pastry can be made a day or two ahead, blind-baked, and stored in an airtight container prior to filling. Alternatively, you can freeze the uncooked dough (double-wrapped securely in plastic wrap) in the freezer for up to 1 month.

Love a good slow-cooked stew that can be rehashed into a pie? Here are a few of my favorites…

sour cream pastry mini tarts, docked and ready to be blind baked

Ok, so you know have all the tools you need to make some cracking sour cream pastry? The big question is, what will you fill your tart shell with?