Master Pie Crust

By klgettins

This makes a precooked pie crust ready to fill with a filling that does not need to be cooked. Light and flaky results, every time!

Ingredients

• 3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 sticks chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2' cubes
• 1/4 cup vegetable shortening
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 3/4 ice water

Preparation

Step 1

Process flour, butter, vegetable shortening, sugar, and salt in a food processor until butter resembles tiny pebbles, about 25 seconds. Transfer to a large bowl.

Gradually add 3/4 cup ice water, using a fork to stir until dough is a mixture of clumpy wet pieces and sandier pieces, adding more water by tablespoonfuls if dry. Press plastic wrap over surface of dough. Chill in the bowl at least 1 hour or over night.

Divide dough in half. Flatten each half into a disk. On a lightly floured surface, roll out 1 disk into a 13"-14" round. Roll over rolling pin and transfer to the pie dish. Pick up the edges and allow dough to slump inside the dish. Trim, leaving about 1" overhang. (For single-crust pie, fold overhang under and crimp edges.) Chill at least 1 hour or overnight.

Preaheat oven to 375°F. Prick chilled crust in pie dish with a fork. Line crust with foil or parchment paper. Fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake 25 minutes. Remove from oven; lift out foil and weights. Reduce temperature to 350°F. Return to oven and bake, using fork to prick any bubbles that have formed and pressing down on them with back of fork, until crust is light golden brown, 20-25 minutes longer. Let crust cool completely.