Perfect pastry recipe - Telegraph Finely grated zest for 1 lemon 1 organic free-range egg, plus 1 egg yolk 80ml ice-cold water Sift the flour and salt into a mound on a cook surface. Scatter the butter, sugar, vanilla and lemon zest over the flour, then toss the ingredients together using a knife or pastry scraper. Make a hollow in the middle and add the whole egg, yolk and water and toss again. Gather the dough close to you and, with the heel of your hand, work it away in a quick movement. Keep bringing the dough back to you and working it until it is evenly combined. Don't worry if little bits of butter show through, it is important not to overwork the dough. Once the dough has come together, continue to knead for a minute or so, very lightly. Wrap the pastry in greaseproof paper and chill for 20 minutes (no longer or it will be too difficult to roll out). Rolling out and making a tart case Dust a rolling pin and your surface lightly with flour. Unwrap the pastry, place on the floured surface and start to roll. When the pastry ball has become a flat circular disc, lift and turn it 90 degrees. Dust with flour and continue to roll, turning it from time to tie, until the dough is 5mm thick and the desired shape. Lay the rolling pin on the edge of the pastry and roll the dough around it. Gently life over the tart case, then unroll the pastry, allowing it to fall loosely over the tin. With your fingertips, lightly press the dough into the sides and base of the tin. With a sharp knife, trim away the extra pastry overhanging the rim. Prick the base all over with a fork and chill the tart case for 25-30 minutes before baking to prevent shrinking during cooking. To bake the pastry case blind (i.e. before filling), line the pastry case with greaseproof paper and baking beans and bake, following the guidelines in individual recipes. Pastry tips Always use fine-quality ingredients - good unsalted butter, very fresh organic free-range eggs and proper vanilla extract, not synthetic vanilla essence. Work quickly on a cold surface - marble is ideal. Rest the pastry twice in the fridge (before and after shaping). This helps to prevent shrinking during cooking.