Basic Pastry Dough Recipe

Makes one 9-inch pie crus

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/3 cups flour
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup shortening
  • 3 tbsp cold water

    • Instructions:

    1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
    2. Combine flour and salt in mixing bowl.
    3. With pastry blender (or 2 knives), cut shortening into flour until uniform coarse meal is formed.
    4. Sprinkle with water, a little at a time, tossing gently with a fork.
    5. Work dough into a firm ball using your hands.
    6. Press dough into flat circle.
    7. Roll between 2 sheets of floured waxed paper or on a lightly floured surface until a circle 1 1/2 inches larger than inverted pie pan is formed.
    8. Gently ease pastry into pie, being careful not to stretch it.
    9. Trim to 1/2 inch beyond edge of pie plate; fold under to make a double thickness and flute edges.
    10. If baking with filling, prick bottom and sides with fork.
    11. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes.