Flaky pastry

Method

• Sift flour and salt together. Cut butter into small pieces, add half to flour and rub in with fingertips until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
• Combine water and lemon juice. Add to dry ingredients and cut with a knife. Kneed lightly to a firm pastry.
• Roll out pastry on a lightly floured surface, into a rectangular shape of 24 x 32 cm. Cover two-thirds of pastry with half the remaining butter.
• Fold third of pastry without butter over one-third pastry with butter. Then fold remaining pastry with butter over that, creating three layers of pastry with butter between each layer. Cover and refrigerate for 10 - 15 minutes.
• Roll out pastry on a lightly floured surface and place remaining butter on two-thirds of pastry, then fold and turn. Repeat rolling and folding three times, refrigerating when necessary. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
• Roll out pastry on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of about 3 mm.
• Use as instructed in chosen recipe. The pastry is usually baked in a preheated oven at 200 °C for 20 - 25 minutes.