BEST-EVER PIE CRUST

Best-Ever Pie Crust image

Provided by Toni Tipton-Martin

Yield makes enough for two 9-inch pie crusts

Number Of Ingredients 5

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2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
½ teaspoon salt
1 stick (4 ounces) butter, cut into (½-inch) pieces and chilled
¼ cup lard or shortening, cut into (½-inch) pieces and chilled
8 to 10 tablespoons ice-cold water

Steps:

To make the dough:
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Sprinkle half of the butter and lard over the flour and use your fingertips, a pastry blender, or two knives to cut and mix until the mixture resembles large peas. Sprinkle in the remaining butter and lard and cut and mix to coarse crumbs. Sprinkle the dough with ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and use a fork to lightly mix until the dough just comes together and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Gather the dough into a ball. Divide the ball in half. Press into two 1-inch-thick discs and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate for 30 minutes before rolling, or freeze for later use.
To blind-bake (prebake) the crust:
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to about 12 inches in diameter. Drape the dough over the rolling pin or fold it into quarters and transfer to a 9-inch pie plate. Press the pastry evenly into the pan, without stretching to fit. Trim the edges and crimp decoratively, as desired. Prick the crust all over with the tines of a fork. Cut parchment paper to fit the bottom and halfway up the sides of the pan. Line the pie shell with the paper. Pour in pie weights, uncooked rice, or dried beans to cover the bottom and sides of the crust. Bake for 12 minutes. Remove the paper and weights and bake the crust 5 minutes longer for a partially baked crust, or 10 minutes longer for a fully baked crust, until it looks dry and crisp.