Instructions: By hand: Heap flour onto work surface; make a well in the center. Place salt, sugar, egg yolks and vanilla in center; mix with fork to dissolve sugar in yolks. Pound butter with rolling pin to soften; add to yolk mixture and mix butter with yolk mixture, using fingertips or fork. Using a dough scraper or pastry blender, gradually work flour into yolk mixture with a cutting motion to make coarse crumbs.

In food processor: Place all ingredients except flour in work bowl of food processor; process using four 1-second pulses. Add flour and process with six to eight 1-second pulses, just until dough begins to clump (but doesnt form a ball).

Gather dough into a rough mound. Work small portions of the dough against the work surface with the heel of your hand (pushing away from you). When dough is pliable and peels away from surface in one piece, shape into a ball. Wrap well; refrigerate until firm (at least 2 hours).

Remove dough from refrigerator; allow to soften slightly before rolling.

Place on lightly floured surface; sprinkle a little flour over dough or rolling pin. Roll out dough from center toward edge to form a circle 1/8 inch thick and 1 1/2 inches larger than tart pan. Carefully lift dough and give a quarter turn after each rolling, reflouring surfaces as necessary. If dough cracks or tears, brush a small, flat piece of dough with water and apply as a patch; do not reroll dough.

Transfer dough to tart pan; carefully ease into place, molding dough to sides of pan with fingertips. Trim dough even with edge of tart pan. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour before blind baking.

Note: Use real butter or stick margarine. Do not substitute reduced-fat spreads; their higher water content often yields less-satisfactory results.

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