Pastry cases wrong shape

Cut circles of pastry the appropriate size with a pastry cutter before putting them in the tin?

I would roll the pastry out and allow it to rest for a while before using a cookie cutter to cut out circles (big enough to go in the tin without stretching). Then put in the tin and put in the fridge for half an hour before baking.
If you are baking them empty they need something to weigh them down eg a paper muffin case filled with baking beans

Septimia

Cut circles of pastry the appropriate size with a pastry cutter before putting them in the tin?

Done that, photo shows the result.

Hmm... Frustrating. I'm not the world's best cook, so possibly not the best to give advice. I just appreciate how annoying it is.

Maybe the heat in the oven is uneven. You could try turning the tin after a few minutes.

Could you try a different pastry recipe or vary the ingredients slightly to see if that makes any difference (more or less shortening), or try swapping self-raising flour for plain?

Eddicat's advice to rest the pastry dough is worth trying.

I haven’t tried to bake blind because of the size, so I shall try that using sweet cases, then give up. Thanks for your suggestions.