What is the typical weight ratio for shortcrust pastry (flour:fat:water) and why is each component important?

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The balance of ingredients in shortcrust pastry is all about getting a tender crumb with enough structure to roll and bake without shrinking. Flour provides the structure by forming a gluten network, fat coats those flour particles to shorten gluten development and keep the texture crumbly and tender, and water hydrates the flour to help everything bind together.

The typical ratio of three parts flour to two parts fat to one part water gives a practical middle ground: enough flour for a workable, cohesive dough, enough fat to create tenderness and a flaky crumb, and just enough water to bring the dough together without overdeveloping gluten. If you push toward more water, the dough can become sticky and tougher to roll out, and the crust may bake to a denser texture. If you push toward more flour relative to fat, the pastry becomes stiffer and less tender. If you push toward more fat, you risk a pastry that is very tender but may be crumbly or difficult to handle and shape.

So this ratio is favored because it consistently yields a pastry that rolls well, holds together during blind baking, and gives a crisp, tender bite after baking.