Basic Pastry

🥘 Ingredients

• all-purpose flour 2 ½ cups
• salt 1 ¼ tsp
• vegetable shortening ¾ cup
• unsalted butter 3 Tbsp
• ice water 6 Tbsp
• ice water 1 Tbsp

1. 1

   For a 9-in single-crust pie, use half the recipe.
2. 2

   Stir together all-purpose flour and salt .
3. 3

   Add chilled vegetable shortening and cold unsalted butter .
4. 4

   Cut half of the shortening into the flour mixture with a pastry 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 ice water .
5. 5

   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 ingredients together, add 1 tsp to 1 Tbsp ice water .
6. 6

   Divide the dough in half, shape each into a disk, and wrap in plastic wrap. To fill the bake, see individual recipes.