Flaky pie crust

Put the flour, sugar and 1 tsp salt into a large bowl and mix to combine. Add ¹/4 of the butter and toss to coat. Using your fingertips, rub in the butter until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. This portion of the butter helps to make the finished pastry tender, the next portion adds the flakiness.

Add the remaining butter and toss in the flour mixture. Using your fingertips, press each piece of butter flat. Put the bowl into the freezer for 10 minutes to firm up. Remove the bowl from the freezer and pour over 6 tbsp of ice-cold water and the vodka, stirring with a spatula to form a shaggy dough. Tip out onto the worksurface and bring together with your hands. If the butter in the dough is feeling soft, chill for 10 minutes.

On a lightly floured worksurface, roll the dough into a thin rectangle (roughly 15cm x 40cm) then roll it up into a fat sausage. Cut the dough into two pieces and form into flat discs, wrapping in clingfilm and chilling until needed. Use both pieces for a whole-quantity recipe and one for a ½. Freeze whatever you don’t use for another time.