FLAKY PIE CRUST

Steps:

• Measure out flour, sugar and salt in a bowl, and place in freezer.
• Cube butter and shortning into 1/2 inch cubes and place in freezer as well, for up to 30 mintues.
• Combine the chilled fats to the bowl of flour/sugar/salt, and pinch together with your fingers to combine, until mixture is about the size of small peas. You can also use a pastry cutter, but I find my hands work even better.
• Slowly drizzle ice water over the top and gently knead until no dry patches remain.
• Try to press the dough together with your fingers, and it should hold together.
• If not, sprinkle some more ice water, and knead a tiny bit more.
• The dough should look rather rough, not smooth like bread or pizza dough.
• Divide in half and press each half into a round flat disk, wrap in plastice wrap.
• Refrigerate disks for at least 30 mintues, (or up to several days) before rolling out pie.
• Roll out the dough.
• If dough has been chilling for longer than 30 minutes, let it stand at room temperature until pliable enough to roll.
• Flour your work surface and roll out dough, working from the middle out, in all directions.
• Roll out dough 3-4 inches larger than your pie pan so you can cover the entire bottom and create a rim.
• Roll dough over your pin, and transfer to your pie pan.
• Trim any excess dough, leaving about 3/4 inch around the edge.
• Follow the instrucitons what whatever pie you will be making.
• The second half of the dough can be used for another pie, or to top this one!