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Pastry Dough

Recipe information

  • Total Time

    1 1/4 hr

  • Yield

    Makes enough dough for a 9-inch pie with a lattice top

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/4 cup cold vegetable shortening
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 to 8 tablespoons ice water

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Blend together flour, butter, shortening, and salt in a bowl with your fingertips or a pastry blender (or pulse in a food processor) until most of mixture resembles coarse meal, with the rest in small (roughly pea-size) lumps. Drizzle 4 tablespoons ice water evenly over and gently stir with a fork (or pulse in a food processor) until incorporated.

    Step 2

    Gently squeeze a small handful: It should hold together without falling apart. If it doesn’t, add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring (or pulsing) after each addition until incorporated, continuing to test. (Do not overwork dough or it will become tough.)

    Step 3

    Turn out onto a work surface and divide into 2 portions. With heel of your hand, smear each portion once in a forward motion to help distribute fat. Gather each portion of dough and form it, rotating on work surface, into a disk. Wrap disks separately in plastic wrap and chill until firm, at least 1 hour.

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