1. Sift the flour and salt on to a clean bench.

2. Tip the cold butter cubes on to the flour and chop through with a spatula until roughly incorporated.

3. Make a well in the centre and pour in the water and lemon juice and combine quickly until a dough forms. If the dough is sticky, add a little more flour, but working quickly while the butter is still cool should make this unnecessary.

4. Shape the dough into a rectangle and roll flat, roughly 40cm long and 20cm wide, and then fold in three as you would a letter. Turn the dough so the open end faces you, roll out again, and fold again into three. Wrap in cling film and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.

5. Remove from the fridge and repeat the rolling-and-folding process twice more. Rest for a further 30 minutes before using.

6. Once it's rested, you can use the pastry, or store in the fridge for a day or two. You can also cut it into handy-size pieces and freeze them until you need them.

* This pastry is great for sweet pies and tarts. See Karen Martini's apple and cherry pies, and pear tart with thyme.