Basic Dough for Pie or Tart Crusts

Note from Cheri: One of our readers asked for a very flaky pie crust recipe. This is the one given to me by my former mother-in-law, Louise Tegge. Unfortunately, Louise passed away a few years ago. She was an incredible baker and I know she'd love to see her recipe here. She said the secret to really flaky pie crusts was to handle the dough as little as possible. The more you handle the dough, the tougher it gets. She should know, her pies were always the best. This is a very basic pie crust that can be used for savory or dessert pies.

1 cup all purpose flour 1 tsp. salt 1/3 cup vegetable shortening 2-3 tablespoons ice water

Makes a single 9 inch pie crust, double for two crust pies. If you're new to pie making, follow this link for detailed pie crust making instructions. If not, simply follow the instructions below. Measure salt & flour into a bowl. Cut in shortening thoroughly. Sprinkle in ice water 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing until all the flour is moistened and dough almost cleans the sides of the bowl. 1 or 2 tablespoons of ice water can be added, if necessary. Roll out dough and fit in pie pan. For a baked shell, either prick the bottom and sides with a fork, or use pie weights so the shell doesn't puff up. Bake at 425° for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned.