Ingredients
9-inch single-crust shell
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup vegetable shortening
3 to 4 tablespoons cold water, more or less
9-inch double-crust pie
2 ¼ cups flour
¾ teaspoon salt
¾ cup vegetable shortening
6 to 8 tablespoons cold water, more or less
Directions
In mixing bowl, combine flour and salt. Toss together. Drop in shortening. Using fingertips, 2 knives or pastry blender, blend ingredients together, working quickly until mixture resembles coarse bread crumbs. Sprinkle with water, 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring gently with fork after each addition. Add just enough water for dough to form rough mass. Using floured hands, pat dough into smooth “cake”. (Note: if making double crust size, pat into 2 “cakes,” 1 slightly larger than the other.) It’s not necessary to chill this dough, although it may be wrapped in plastic wrap and refrigerated up to 2 days.
Roll dough out on floured surface (using larger “cake” if making bottom of double-crust pie) until it is about ⅛-inch hick and 12 inches in diameter or 2 inches larger than top of pie pan. Keep shape as round as possible. Transfer rolled-out pastry to pie pan. Pat it around the edges to fit.