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1
Place one cup of flour, the butter, sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade.
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2
Process just until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs, about 10 seconds.
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3
Add the water and pulse just until the pastry begins to hold together, about six to eight times.
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4
Do not let it form a ball.
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5
Turn the pastry out onto waxed paper and flatten the dough into a circle.
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6
If the dough is excessively sticky, sprinkle it with several tablespoons of flour.
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7
Wrap in waxed paper and refrigerate for at least one hour.
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8
On a lightly floured surface, carefully roll out the dough to a 12-inch circle and transfer the dough to a 10 1/2-inch tart pan, preferably black tin, with a removable bottom.
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9
With your fingertips, carefully press the pastry into the pan and up the side, trying not to stretch it.
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10
Trim the overhang, leaving about a one-inch edge.
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11
Tuck this overhang inside the pan, pressing gently against the side to create a sturdy, double-sided shell.
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12
If you build the pastry a bit higher than the height of the pan, you have less problem with shrinkage.
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13
Prick the bottom of the shell with the tines of a fork and chill for at least 20 minutes (or up to 24 hours, well wrapped).
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14
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
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15
Line the shell loosely with heavy-duty foil, pressing well into the edges so the pastry does not shrink while baking.
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16
Fill with weights of rice or dried beans - making sure you get all the way into the edges - to prevent shrinkage.
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17
For a partially baked shell, bake just until the pastry begins to brown around the edges and seems firm enough to stand up by itself, about 20 minutes.
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18
Remove the foil and weights and continue baking until it is thoroughly, lightly and evenly brown, about 10 more minutes.
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19
(For a fully baked shell, bake the pastry for 30 minutes after removing the foil and weights.)
