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1
Put the flour, sugar and salt in a food processor fitted with a metal blade; pulse just to combine the ingredients.
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2
Drop in the butter and shortening and pulse only until the butter and shortening are cut into the flour.
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3
Dont overdo the mixing what youre aiming for is to have some pieces the size of fat green peas and others the size of barley.
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4
Pulsing the machine on and off, gradually add about 6 tablespoons of the water if making a double crust, 3 tablespoons if making a single crust add a little water and pulse once, add some more water, pulse again and keep going that way.
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5
Then use a few long pulses to get the water into the flour.
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6
If, after a dozen or so pulses, the dough doesnt look evenly moistened or form soft curds, pulse in as much of the remaining water as necessary.
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7
or even a few drops more, to get a dough that will stick together when pinched.
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8
Big pieces of butter are fine.
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9
Scrape the dough out of the work bowl and onto a work surface.
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10
Gather the dough into a ball, flatten it into a disk, and wrap it in plastic.
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11
Refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour before rolling.
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12
(If your ingredients were very cold and you worked quickly, though, you might be able to roll the dough immediately: the dough should be as cold as if it had just come out of the fridge.)
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13
To roll out the dough: Have a buttered pie plate at hand.
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14
You can roll the dough out on a floured surface or between sheets of wax paper or plastic wrap or in a rolling slipcover.
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15
(I usually roll this dough out on the floured counter.)
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16
If you are working on a counter, turn the dough over frequently and keep the counter floured.
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17
If you are rolling between paper, plastic or a in slipcover, make sure to turn the dough over often and to lift the paper, plastic or cover frequently so that it doesnt roll into the dough and form creases.
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18
If youve got time, slide the rolled-out dough into the fridge for about 20 minutes to rest and firm up.
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19
Fit the dough into the pie plate and, using a pair of scissors, cut the excess dough to a 1/4- to 1/2-inch overhang.
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20
Fold the dough under on itself, so that it hangs over the edge just a tad, and flute or pinch the crust to make a decorative edge.
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21
Alternatively, you can finish the crust by pressing it with the tines of a fork.
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22
To partially or fully bake a single crust: Refrigerate the crust while you preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
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23
Butter the shiny side of a piece of aluminum foil, fit the foil, buttered side down, tightly against the crust and fill with dried beans or rice or pie weights.
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24
Put the pie plate on a baking sheet and bake the crust for 25 minutes.
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25
Carefully remove the foil and weights and, if the crust has puffed, press it down gently with the back of a spoon.
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26
For a partially baked crust, return the pie plate to the oven and bake for about 8 minutes more, or until the crust is very lightly colored.
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27
To fully bake the crust, bake until golden brown, about another 10 minutes.
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28
Transfer the pie plate to a cooling rack and cool to room temperature before filling.
