Dear Lozza,

Baking is pretty precise -- more so than cooking, which is why I like cooking better. When you make pastry and you "cut in" the fat (be it oil, shortening, butter or margarine) make sure that it looks mealy before adding the liquid. Also, what kind of margarine did you use? Some add water, some add gelatin and I don't care for the taste of any of them. If you had a recipe that called for butter, that is what I would use. My favorite recipe for pastry is in the good ol' Betty Crocker and is made from vegetable oil (I use canola). Here it is:

1 cup plus 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 Tbsp cold water

Measure flour and mix with salt. Add oil all at once. Mix with fork or pastry blender until it looks like meal. Sprinkle with water. You may not need all of the water, depending on ambient weather conditions. Gather dough together. If too dry, add 1 to 2 tsp more oil. Press into ball.

Immediately roll crust between two long strips of waxed paper crossed in the center -- a double layer of paper forms a 12" square. Roll in circle to edges of square. Wipe table with damp cloth to keep paper from slipping. Peel off top paper, place crust in pan, paper side up. Peel paper; fit pastry loosely into pan. Trim, leaving 1/2" overhanging edge. Fold under, flute, prick thoroughly. Bake shell 12 to 15 minutes at 450 or until light brown.

Bon Appetit!