Pie crust

Press it firmly into the tin without stretching it, then chill it for 20–30 minutes before baking. When blind baking, line it with baking paper and fill it with baking beans or uncooked rice.

Prick the chilled base with a fork, line it with baking paper and add baking beans. Bake at 200 °C for about 15 minutes, remove the paper and weights, then bake for another 5–10 minutes until dry and lightly golden.

Yes. It works well for fillings such as chicken and leek, or for a quiche; bake the empty crust first if the filling is wet, so the base is less likely to turn soggy.

Wrap unbaked crust tightly and refrigerate it for up to two days, or freeze it for up to three months. Thaw frozen crust overnight in the fridge before rolling or baking.

Yes. Freeze an unbaked pie until firm, then wrap it well; bake it from frozen, adding extra time and covering the edges if they brown too quickly. A baked pie can also be frozen, though the crust may soften slightly as it thaws.

For a savoury tart, use shortcrust pastry; it has 430 kcal and 18.4 g fat per 100 g, compared with 451 kcal and 31 g in pie crust. For a crumbly sweet base, crushed biscuits mixed with melted butter are another option.

Shortcrust pastry is the familiar British term for a crumbly pastry used for pies and tarts, while pie crust can refer to a ready-made pastry shell or dough. Shortcrust pastry has 7.8 g protein and 18.4 g fat per 100 g; pie crust has 4.5 g protein and 31 g fat.

No. Pie crust is a rich, crumbly pastry, while pizza crust is a yeast-risen bread base. Pizza crust has 252 kcal per 100 g, compared with 451 kcal in pie crust.