You can use a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or a food processor to prepare it.
In a bowl, mix the flour and salt, then add the butter, cut into small cubes.
Rub the butter into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs, like couscous.
Dilute the egg yolk in the cold water, then pour it over the crumbly mixture. Gently mix with your fingertips until the dough just comes together. Avoid kneading to prevent activating the gluten, which would result in a tough dough that’s difficult to roll out and may shrink during baking.
Transfer the dough onto your work surface and perform a technique called fraisage (or frasage) using the heel of your hand. This helps create a dough that’s both crumbly and cohesive, without developing elasticity.
Push small portions of the dough away from you with the palm of your hand, then gather it back. Repeat 2 or 3 times, then form the dough into a ball. Flatten slightly, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 to 2 hours.
Once chilled, the dough may be a bit firm. Allow it to come to room temperature just enough to make it pliable and easy to work with, it should be firm, but not brittle.
Line a perforated baking sheet with parchment paper and place a buttered tart ring on top.
Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface or between two sheets of parchment paper to a thickness of about 3 mm (0.11 in). If it becomes sticky, chill it briefly to firm it up.
Gently line the tart ring with the pastry and press it well into the base and sides. Use a rolling pin to trim off the excess dough by rolling it over the top of the ring.
Prick the bottom with a fork to prevent it from puffing up during baking.
You can place the tart shell in the freezer for 30 minutes before baking, this step is optional but helps it hold its shape better.