All-Purpose Pastry

A good all-purpose pastry for sweet or savory pies—very easy to work with. Makes enough pastry for a 9" double-crust pie.

2 CUPS FLOUR
1 TSP SALT
3/4 CUP VEGETABLE SHORTENING*
1/2 CUP ICE WATER

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Sift together flour and salt. Mix in shortening with pastry blender until mixture is somewhat grainy (with lumps size of peas). Add ice water gradually, stirring with fork until mixture holds together and can be formed into a ball (entire 1/2 cup of water may not be required--start with 1/4 cup). Chill pastry for 10 minutes or more before rolling out.

Bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes, then turn heat down to 325 degrees and bake until done (approximately 35-45 minutes)--may vary temperature and baking time according to specific pie recipe being used.

Note: Do not overwork pastry or it will be tough.

*My mother always used lard to make her pastry (makes a flakier crust).  If you use lard, reduce shortening amount to 2/3 cup.