Recipe: Basic Short Crust

Basic Short Crust
rec.food.cooking/Robb (1999)
Yields 1 9-10-inch pie crust. Double recipe for a two crust pie.

1 1/3 cups pastry flour (or half all-purpose, half cake flour)
1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening (Crisco)
1/2 teaspoon salt
4-5 tablespoons ice water

Refrigerate shortening until hard. Cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Combine flour and salt in large mixing bowl. Toss in cubes of shortening until well coated with flour. Cut shortening into flour mixture using a pastry blender until the texture of small peas. Chill mixture 1/2 hour. Add ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing lightly with fork to distribute evenly. After adding 4 tablespoons water, test mixture by pressing together. If it forms a ball, omit remaining tablespoon water.

If not, add additional water until ball can be formed. Press mixture gently into ball and shape into flattened disk on large piece of plastic wrap. Wrap securely and refrigerate 1/2 hour. Roll pastry between sheets of plastic wrap or waxed paper, dusting only slightly with additional flour to prevent sticking. Fold pastry in 1/2 and gently place over 1/2 of pie plate. Unfold and fit pastry securely into pie plate. Flute edges. Chill well before baking.