- 2
Ingredients
- FOR A SINGLE CRUST:
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter (1/2 stick) -- cold, cut into 1/4" pieces
- 1/4 cup vegetable shortening -- cut into pieces
- 1/4 cup cold water
- FOR A DOUBLE CRUST:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick) -- cold, cut into 1/4" pieces
- 1/2 cup vegetable shortening -- cut into pieces
- 1/2 cup cold water
Preparation
Step 1
TO MAKE IN A FOOD PROCESSOR: Put the flour, sugar, and salt in the food
processor. Pulse several times to mix. Scatter the butter over the dry
ingredients and pulse the machine 5 or 6 times to cut it in. Fluff the
mixture with a fork, lifting it up from the bottom of the bowl. Scatter
the shortening over the flour and pulse 5 or 6 times. Fluff the mixture
again. Drizzle half of the water over the flour mixture and pulse 5 or 6
times. Fluff the mixture and sprinkle on the remaining water. Pulse 5 or 6
times more, until the dough starts to form clumps. Overall, it will look
like coarse crumbs. Dump the contents of the processor bowl into a large
bowl. Test the pastry by squeezing some of it between your fingers. If it
seems a little dry and not quite packable, drizzle a teaspoon or so of
cold water over the pastry and work it in with your fingertips.
Using your hands, pack the pastry into a ball (or 2 balls if you are
making a double crust) as you would pack a snowball. If you're making a
double crust, make one ball slightly larger than the other; this will be
your bottom crust. Knead each ball once or twice, then flatten the balls
into 3/4" thick disks on a floured work surface. Wrap the disks in plastic
and refrigerate for at least an hour or overnight before rolling.