Basic Double Crust Pie Pastry

Start with this basic crust, and add your favourite filling.

Number of servings :

Prep time:

Cooking time:

Type of meal : | Pies/Tarts | Pies/Tarts

Special diet :

Ingredients

2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
½ tsp salt
½ cup (1 stick) cold butter, cut-up
¼ cup vegetable shortening
5-6 tbsp ice water

Directions

  1. In a large bowl, sift together the flour and salt. Using a pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in the butter and shortening until the mixture resembles coarse bread crumbs.
  2. Add the ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring the mixture with a fork to incorporate the water into the dough. Add water only until the dough begins to hold together. Handling the dough as little as possible, divide it in half, shape each half into a ball, and wrap each ball in plastic wrap. Chill the dough balls for at least 1 hour before using.
  3. For the bottom crust, place 1 ball of dough n a lightly floured board or pastry cloth. Flatten the ball slightly; then, using a lightly floured or covered rolling pin, roll from the center of the ball outward in all directions. Make the dough circle large enough to cover the bottom and sides of a pie plate plus about 2.5 cm (1 inch) more.
  4. For top crust, place the remaining ball of dough on the lightly floured surface and flatten slightly. Roll the dough from the center outward in all directions until the circle is large enough to cover the pie plate plus about a 1.25-cm (½-inch) margin.

Nutritional information: