24 shortcrust pastry recipes

Sweet shortcrust pastry pie

Cherry pie

Combine cherries in kirsch from a jar with fresh black cherries to make a comforting filling for this sweet shortcrust pastry pie.

Rhubarb pie

This classic pie makes a perfect comforting dessert. The orange zest adds a nice freshness and lifts the flavour. Forced rhubarb is available from January to March.

Savoury shortcrust pastry pie

Chicken, mushroom and bacon slab pie

Feed a very hungry crowd with this beast of a slab pie (cooked in one baking tray), flavoured with streaky bacon, chicken thighs, chestnut mushrooms and cream.

Cheese and tomato pie

Make an easy pie with readymade shortcrust pastry. Filled with cheese and onion with an extra layer of tomato this is comfort food at its best.

Chicken and ham pie

Save time by using shop-bought pastry to make this cosy classic, filled with thick-cut ham, leeks, chicken thigh fillets and a creamy white sauce.

Picnic pie

You'll need to put in some extra effort for this recipe, but the payoff will be great. This meaty picnic pie makes a mean, hearty meal.

Beef, mushroom and red wine pies

Beef cooked slowly in red wine and herbs until tender is good enough on its own, but topped with a crisp shortcrust pastry lattice, it's even better. These easy pies are smart enough to serve up for a dinner party.

Sweet shortcrust pastry tarts

Plum and pistachio frangipane tart

Squidgy plums and crunchy pistachios are a match made in heaven in this impressive tart. Use a shop-bought block of shortcrust pastry if you don't fancy making your own.

Apple tart

Transform a glut of apples into this classic tart by using our insider tips and tricks.

Piña colada tarts

Add a Caribbean twist to your baking with pineapple, coconut and rum flavours of piña colada. Use ready-baked tarts if you want to make this dessert even easier.

Chilli and chocolate tart with peanut chipotle brittle

A rich, fruity dark chocolate like those from Papua New Guinea will go very well with the chilli. The chilli flavour in this should be an underlying buzz rather than a real kick of heat, so don’t be tempted to add too much.

Pineapple tart

This pineapple tart makes for an easy but impressive pudding. It's best to buy a peeled whole section of pineapple for this recipe. It's at its best around February time.

Lemon and almond tarts

If you like Bakewell tart you'll love this lemon version. A crisp shortcrust shell is filled with lemon curd and a rich egg and ground almond sponge. Serve warm straight from the tin or at room temperature with a nice cup of tea.

Chocolate brownie pecan tart

What's better than a brownie? A chocolate brownie-filled tart with a crisp pecan topping. This rich dessert is easily made ahead if you are entertaining. Serve with creme fraiche or ice-cream.

Savoury shortcrust pastry tarts

Broccoli quiche

Put purple sprouting broccoli at the centre in this spring tart recipe seasoned with fresh thyme. Serve with a simple green salad for an easy veggie dinner.

Tartiflette tart

You can make everything for this tart – pastry shell and filling – ahead of time. Just fill with crispy bacon lardons, pickled cornichons and melt-in-the-mouth reblochon cheese and bake to serve.

Quiche Lorraine

Make this easy yet impressive quiche Lorraine with buttery shortcrust pastry. Gruyère cheese, double cream and pancetta provide a wonderfully rich and flavourful filling for this classic tart.

Cauliflower cheese tart

Grana padano makes this cauliflower cheese taste really special - it's a similar style cheese to parmesan, but as it can be sold younger, it’s often a lot cheaper and still gives the results needed.

Pesto and potato tart

Check out our super simple vegetarian pesto and potato tart. This family-friendly recipe uses ready-rolled pastry, so you'll have dinner on the table in no time. Plus, it's low in calories, too.

‘Eat your greens’ quiche Lorraine

Take your quiche Lorriane to the next level with our ultimate recipe packed with crispy pancetta and wilted green veggies. It serves six, so you can enjoy what's left with a green salad the next day.

Goat’s cheese and red onion tarts

Impress your guests by bringing out this delicious veggie tart made from scratch. Creamy goats cheese and sweet red onion is baked on top of shortcrust pastry with thyme and balsamic vinegar. A little effort but worth it.

Spiral courgette tart with dill dressing

Try this new take on spiralised courgette in a beautiful vegetarian tart. It's low-calorie, low fat and 5:2 diet friendly for a healthy entertaining meal.

Freeform courgette galette

This recipe for freeform courgette galette is easy to make, vegetarian and ready in under an hour. Plus, it looks stunning when you bring it to the table