Perfect Pie Crust

Total Time: 1 hr 5 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients

• 1 cup vegetable shortening
• 4 cups unbleached flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup ice water

Recipe

• 1 use pastry blender or two butter knives to chop up shortening in flour and salt to pea-sized lumps.
• 2 stir in water, a few tbsp at a time, stirring with butter knife. (do not stir in ice cubes.) don't mash. when mixture starts to form big clumps you've added enough water. you won't use a full cup of water, more like 1/2 cup, but keep enough water on hand just in case.
• 3 the key is to keep everything chilled until you get it into the oven. touching it too much will warm it up. be paranoid. the other secret is not to blend it too much, keep it loosely binding until you roll it. if the shortening lumps are too small it won't be as flaky.
• 4 place a sheet of plastic wrap on counter. sprinkle it with flour. pick up half of pastry mix, form into ball and place on the centre of sheet, being careful to neither mash it or handle it much. cover with second sheet of plastic wrap. roll from centre out to 1/2 centimeter (1/4 inch) thickness. remove top sheet of plastic.
• 5 place pie plate upside-down on top of pastry, place hand under plastic, flip, gently press into pan, remove plastic. trim edges with knife. (flute edges - optional.).
• 6 chill in fridge until ready to add filling and bake. may be frozen.
• 7 makes two layers of crust; top/bottom or two bottom crusts.
• 8 tip - for a rolling pin use a wine bottle or other glass bottle filled with water and kept in the fridge.