INGREDIENTS:
| 2 cups all purpose flour 1 tsp. salt | 1/3 cup each cold shortening & butter 3 – 4 tbsp. ice water |
DIRECTION:
- Sift flour and salt into bowl. Take butter and shortening from the refrigerator, cut into small pieces, and with fingertips blend rapidly into flour mixture until evenly distributed and mixture resembles small peas. Evenly sprinkle water 1tbsp. at a time over dough, quickly blending with a fork.
- Pat lightly to form a ball. Chill for 1 hour. Divide dough equally into two for 2 single pie crusts or make 1 part slightly bigger to make a double crust pie using the larger part for the bottom.
- Unbaked Double Crust Pie – Prepare bottom crust as about but trim pastry 1 inch larger than the pie pan. Do not flute or crimp. Roll out smaller ball of 4 simple slits on the pastry to vent our steam. Fill bottom crust as directed. Moisten edge of bottom pastry with water. Place top pastry over filling to cover the pie, flute edges to seal. Trip excess pastry. Brush top with milk.
- For Baked Pie Shell – Preheat oven to 425ºF. After trimming edge of pastry, prick bottom and sides with fork, weigh down with dried beans. Baked for 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove foil and beans at once. Return to oven and bake for 3 more minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before filling. Bake as directed.
Note: Pastry tastes better with butter if you don’t mind the cholesterol. It has less calories but more sodium when made with margarine.
