Pie Crust with Butter and Shortening - Heart's Content Farmhouse

Prep Time:30

chilling:2

Total Time:2 30

Equipment

Food processor or pastry blender

Ingredients

¾ cup cold unsalted butter 1 ½ sticks
3 cups all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
⅓ cup vegetable shortening such as Crisco (If you don't have shortening, you can substitute lard or butter. All butter pastry is lovely too.)
½ cup water

Instructions

Cut the butter into the flour. Chop the butter into about eight pieces using a knife and blend them into the flour by pulsing with a food processor or using a pastry blender. Keep working until the butter is the size of small peas.
Add the remaining ingredients to form a dough. Add the salt, sugar, shortening, and water and stir by hand or with the food processor. Mix until a dough forms. It will look slightly dry and crumbly, but should come together as a ball. If it is does not, add more water one teaspoon at a time.
Allow dough to rest. Turn dough out onto a cutting board and divide in two. Shape the pieces into rough discs and wrap them tightly in plastic wrap. Place them in the fridge to chill for at least one hour, or up to overnight.
Roll out and prepare for filling. Place discs to warm at room temperature for 15-30 minutes before rolling out. Unwrap the first one and place on a generously floured counter. Using a floured rolling pin, roll out to desired thickness. Carefully transfer to the pie plate and trim and crimp the edges.

Notes

When dividing the dough, consider how you are using it. For a lattice-topped pie, you'll want a bit more dough for the bottom crust and a bit less for the strips.

If you don't want to crimp the edges, just use a fork to press a design in.

Nutrition

Servings: slices

Calories: 410kcal

Author: Katie