1 1/2 c All-purpose flour
1/2 ts Salt
1/2 c Shortening
4 (to 8 tbsp) ice water
Mix the flour and salt together in a bowl. Cut in the shortening with a
pastry blender or fork until the shortening is the size of green peas.
Loosely separate the flour-fat mixture, still in the bowl, into 3 portions.
Add ice water, a little at a time, to one portion, tossing the mixture with
the pastry blender or fork until it is moist and holds together. Set that
section aside. Repeat with the other portions. When all the portions are
moistened, gather them into a ball and flatten into a round disc. Wrap with
plastic wrap and chill 1/2 hour or more. Flour a board or wax paper and,
using a floured or stockinged rolling pin, roll the pastry into a round
about 1/8 inch thick and at least 1 1/2 to 2 inches larger than your pan.
Fold in quarters. Place the pastry in a 9-inch pie pan and unfold. Trim the
pastry 1 inch larger than the pie pan and tuck the overhanging pastry under
itself. Then, use the thumb and finger of one hand and the index finger of
the other to flute the edges. Place in the freezer or chill in the
refrigerator for 30 minutes before baking. To prebake, preheat the oven to
400 degrees. Crumple a piece of wax paper, then spread it out to the edges
of the pan. To make a weight, fill the paper with raw rice or dried peas.
Bake for 20 minutes. Carefully remove the paper and rice or peas. (The rice
or peas may be used again the next time you prebake a pie crust.) Fill the
crust with a filling and bake according to filling directions. If the
filling requires no cooking, bake the pie shell 10 minutes more.
Yield: 1 9-inch pie shell
Yields
1 Servings