Makes enough for one 9-inch pie
| 1 1/4 | cups all-purpose flour , plus extra for rolling out the dough |
| 1 | tablespoon sugar |
| 1/2 | teaspoon salt |
| 3 | tablespoons vegetable shortening , cut into 1/2-inch pieces and chilled |
| 4 | tablespoons unsalted butter , cut into 1/4-inch pieces and chilled |
| 4 - 6 | tablespoons ice water |
1. Process the flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor until combined. Scatter the shortening over the top and continue to process until the mixture has the texture of coarse sand. Scatter the butter pieces over the top and process the mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. Transfer to a bowl.
2. Sprinkle 4 tablespoons of the ice water over the mixture. Stir and press the dough together, using a stiff rubber spatula, until the dough sticks together. If the dough does not come together, stir in the remaining water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it does. Form the dough into a 4-inch disk, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
3. Let the chilled dough soften slightly at room temperature before rolling it into a 12-inch circle on a floured work surface and fitting it into a pie plate. Trim, fold, and crimp the edges and freeze the unbaked pie crust until firm, about 30 minutes, before filling or baking. (The dough can be refrigerated, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 2 months. Let the frozen dough thaw on the countertop until malleable before rolling.)
HOW TO PREBAKE PIE CRUST FOR CREAM OR CUSTARD PIES
1. Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Line the chilled pie crust with a double layer of aluminum foil, covering the edges to prevent burning.
3. Fill the crust with pie weights or pennies and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the pie dough looks dry and is light in color. For a partially baked crust, transfer the crust to a wire rack and remove the weights and foil. For a fully baked crust, remove the pie weights and foil and continue to bake until the crust is a deep golden brown, about 12 minutes longer. The pie crust may be cooled completely or used warm, according to the particular pie recipe.
TO MAKE AHEAD
The dough can be refrigerated, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 2 months. Let the frozen dough thaw on the countertop until malleable before rolling. A fully baked pie crust can be stored at room temperature, wrapped tightly in foil, for up to 2 days.