Ingredients
1 3/4 cups all-purpose unbleached flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into bits
1 to 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2 to 3 tablesppons ice water, or as needed
Instructions
1. Combine the flour, salt, and butter in a bowl. Rub the butter into the flour using your fingertips, a pastry cutter, or 2 knives.
2. When the mixture looks like course grains, sprinkle in the lemon juice and just enough water to form a soft ball of dough. You do not want the dough to be sticky.
3. Wrap in a plastic bag and refrigerate it for 1 to 2 hours, or up to 2 days. If you need to store it longer, freeze it.
This recipe is straight out of my absolutely favorite cookbook, The Vegetarian Bistro: 250 Authentic French Regional Recipes. I highly recommend it; everything I’ve ever made from it has been delicious. And of course, this pâte brisée recipe is the one I use for all my tarts.