Put flour, salt and sugar in a food processor. Add cubes of cold butter and pulse 7-8 times to form small beads in the flour. Check the uniformity of the flour mixture and cut any large pieces of butter with a knife. Pour water and pulse 7-8 times to just combine the ingredients. Dump the mixture onto a clean cold work surface and lightly knead with heal of your palm for 2 minutes. Be careful to not overwork the dough (good dough is crumbly and cold).

Collect the dough and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. To save the dough for longer; double wrap the dough and after refrigerating, freeze the dough until use. Thaw the dough overnight in the refrigerator before use. Leave the cold and relaxed dough at room temperature for 5 minutes. Refrigerate an 8-inch tart pan until use.

Lightly dust flour on a clean cool surface. Place the chilled pastry dough and fold it 2-3 times to make it pliable. Dust some flour on a rolling pin and begin rolling the dough from the center to the edge. Turn the dough 90-degrees after each rolling action. Continue rolling and turning, till the dough is an even disc with 10-inch diameter. Brush off any excess flour from the dough and roll the dough onto the rolling pin. Hold the rolling pin on top of the pan and unroll the dough leaving 2-inches outside the pan. Gently, push (not press) the dough into the corners. After the dough properly covers the inside of the pan, trim the excess dough. Cover with plastic and chill the shell for 10 minutes. Proceed as instructed in the recipe.

Rich Pastry Dough (used for rich or sweet tarts)

Ingredients:
1 heaping cup (165 gm) White Flour (Maida)
1/2 tsp Baking Powder
Pinch of Salt
1/3 cup (40 gm) tightly packed Powdered Sugar
3/4 cup (85 gm) Butter - diced
1 large Egg*

*To make egg less tart, substitute egg with 1 tbsp of vegetable oil.

Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together and set aside.

Cream (beat) the sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Pour the egg and continue to mix to form a homogenous mixture. Spoon in the flour mixture and mix only to combine the ingredients. Dump the mixture onto a cold work surface and lightly knead with heal of your palm for 2 minutes. Be careful to not overwork the dough (good dough is crumbly and cold).

Collect the dough and tightly wrap in plastic. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. To save the dough for longer; double wrap the dough and after refrigerating, freeze the dough until use. Thaw the dough overnight in the refrigerator before use. Leave the cold and relaxed dough at room temperature for 5 minutes. Refrigerate an 8-inch tart pan until use.

Lightly dust flour on a clean cool surface. Place the chilled pastry dough and fold it 2-3 times to make it pliable. Dust some flour on a rolling pin and begin rolling the dough from the center to the edge. Turn the dough 90-degrees after each rolling action. Continue rolling and turning, till the dough is an even disc with 10-inch diameter. Brush off any excess flour from the dough and roll the dough onto the rolling pin. Hold the rolling pin on top of the pan and unroll the dough leaving 2-inches outside the pan. Gently, push (not press) the dough into the corners. After the dough properly covers the inside of the pan, trim the excess dough. Cover with plastic and chill the shell for 10 minutes. Proceed as instructed in the recipe.