mixing bowl

200g FREEE White Bread Flour
pinch of salt
125g butter, chilled
1 egg
50ml water
flour, for dusting

1. Put the flour into a bowl, add the salt and stir to combine.
2. Cut the butter into very thin slices and lay these out on a plate.
3. Add one third of the slices to the bowl and using a fork or pastry blender, work it into the flour until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Avoid using your fingers for this.
4. Break the egg into the bowl, add the water and stir to make a dough. 
5. Gather the mixture into a ball of soft dough. If the dough seems dry add another teaspoon of water or if it is excessively wet, cover and rest for 5 minutes.
6. Dust the work surface liberally with flour, place the dough in the middle and dust it with flour.
7. Gently roll the dough into a 20 x 30cm/8 x 12″ rectangle. 
8. Lay a second third of the butter slices across the middle of the pastry, in lines just touching each other.
9. Run a damp finger all around the outside of the pastry rectangle.
10. Gently lift the left side of the pastry over and onto the middle of the butter.
11. Now lift the right side of the pastry, folding it over so the butter is covered.
12. Press around the edges and pinch any cracks to make sure no butter is exposed.  
13. Gently fold the pastry in half, pinching any cracks to make sure no butter is exposed.
14. Dust the pastry with flour, turn it over and dust the other side.
15. For the second time, roll the dough into a 20 x 30cm/8 x 12″ rectangle.
16. Arrange the remaining slices of butter in lines covering the middle of the pastry and finishing 1cm/⅜” from the sides.
17. Run a damp finger all around the outside of the pastry rectangle.
18. Carefully lift the left and right sides of the pastry over the butter to meet in the middle.
19. Once again press around the edges and pinch any cracks making sure no butter is exposed. 
20. Gently fold the pastry in half for a final time.
21.  Dust the folded pastry with flour, cover and chill for at least 10 minutes or up to 4 hours.
22. Use the pastry as per your recipe.
23. Chill prepared flaky pastry items for at least 10 minutes or up to 4 hours before baking in a hot oven.