Basic Pie or Pastry Dough
One 9- or 10-inch double crust. For a 9-inch single crust pie, use half the recipe.
Sift together:
2 1/2 c all purpose flour
1 1/4 t salt
Add:
3/4 c chilled lard or vegetable shortening
3 T cold unsalted butter
Cut half of the shortening into the flour mixture with a pasty blender or work it in lightly with the tips of your fingers until it has the consistency of cornmeal. Cut the remaining half into the dough until it is pea-sized. Sprinkle the dough with:
6 T ice water
Blend the water gently into the dough until it just holds together; you may lift the ingredients with a fork, allowing the moisture to spread. If necessary to hold the ingredient together, add:
1 t to 1 T ice water
Divide the dough in half, shape each into a disk, and wrap in plastic wrap.
** This dough can be made in a food processor (I am oooooh so happy about this).
Combine the dry ingredients in the food processor and process for 10 seconds. Scatter the butter and shortening/lard over the dry ingredients. Pulse 1- to 2-second bursts until most of the fat is pea-sized. With machine turned off, drizzle ice water evenly over the top. Pulse until no dry patches remain and dough just beings to clump in balls. Try to press the dough together with your fingers; if it will not cohere, sprinkle on a bit more ice water, pulse and try again. Do not allow the dough to gather into a single mass during processing. Wrap and refrigerate.
** Rolling the dough
Place dough on a lightly floured surface. Lightly flour the dough, as well. Using even pressure on the pin, roll the dough from center to just before the edge. This will help retain the round shape. Turn 1/4 turn, repeat rolling from center to near edge. Repeat until dough is the right size. The round should be 3 to 4 inches larger than the size of the pan
Sift together:
2 1/2 c all purpose flour
1 1/4 t salt
Add:
3/4 c chilled lard or vegetable shortening
3 T cold unsalted butter
Cut half of the shortening into the flour mixture with a pasty blender or work it in lightly with the tips of your fingers until it has the consistency of cornmeal. Cut the remaining half into the dough until it is pea-sized. Sprinkle the dough with:
6 T ice water
Blend the water gently into the dough until it just holds together; you may lift the ingredients with a fork, allowing the moisture to spread. If necessary to hold the ingredient together, add:
1 t to 1 T ice water
Divide the dough in half, shape each into a disk, and wrap in plastic wrap.
** This dough can be made in a food processor (I am oooooh so happy about this).
Combine the dry ingredients in the food processor and process for 10 seconds. Scatter the butter and shortening/lard over the dry ingredients. Pulse 1- to 2-second bursts until most of the fat is pea-sized. With machine turned off, drizzle ice water evenly over the top. Pulse until no dry patches remain and dough just beings to clump in balls. Try to press the dough together with your fingers; if it will not cohere, sprinkle on a bit more ice water, pulse and try again. Do not allow the dough to gather into a single mass during processing. Wrap and refrigerate.
** Rolling the dough
Place dough on a lightly floured surface. Lightly flour the dough, as well. Using even pressure on the pin, roll the dough from center to just before the edge. This will help retain the round shape. Turn 1/4 turn, repeat rolling from center to near edge. Repeat until dough is the right size. The round should be 3 to 4 inches larger than the size of the pan
Comments