Basic Plain Pastry

By dkosik

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 c. sifted flour
• 1/2 c. shortening
• 5 About 5 T. or a scant 1/3rd c.) of cold or ice water
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/3 tsp. baking powder (optional)

Preparation

Step 1

Have shortening cold. I use plain Crisco and keep it in the fridge. Sift flour and measure. Sift together salt, flour and baking powder (if you are using it). Cut the cold shortening in quickly and not too thoroughly with pastry blender. Add cold water, one tablespoonful at a time, until mass may be gathered together in one lump. Do not over mix. Just handle the dough enough to barely form a ball. Divide the dough equally and roll out. Place unbaked crust into the pan, place filling in and dampen top edge of crust with a few drops of water applied with the tips of the fingers. Cut gashes in the top crust and lay over the filling, press edges of the two crusts together firmly. Trim off excess with a knife around outside edge of pan. Flute upper and lower crust together, fastening them together firmly and forming a high rim to avoid the escape of juices.
I make up three recipes of this at a time and after dividing, I roll each lump into a ball flatten slightly and put each in a sandwich bag. Then put them all into a large plastic bag and mark, date and freeze.