Combo Butter and Shortening Pie Crust

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3 Tbsp cold butter or margerine, cut into chunks
• 3 Tbsp cold solid vegetable shortening, cut into chunks
• 3 Tbsp ice water

Directions

1. In a bowl, mix flour and salt. Add butter and shortening cut in until the largest pieces are pea-size
2. Sprinkle water over flour mixture. Stir with a fork just until evenly moistened. Gently squeeze about 1/4 cup of the dough into a ball. If it won't hold together, crumble lump back into the bowl and sprinkle with more water, 1 tablespoon at a time. Stir with a fork until evenly moistened
3. With lightly floured hands, gently squeeze dough into a ball. Pat dough into a smooth 4-inch-wide round. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill until slightly firm, 15 to 30 minutes
4. Lay dough on a lightly floured surface. With a floured rolling pin, roll gently and evenly in short strokes from center of dough outward to form a 12-inch round. If edges split while rolling, push them back toward the center to make the round relatively smooth. Occasionally slide a long metal spatula under dough and lift, dusting flour beneath to prevent sticking
5. Fold the dough round in half, lift it gently without stretching, and lay the folded edge across the middle of a 9-inch pie pan. Unfold and ease dough into the pan without stretching. With scissors, trim dough edge evenly 3/4 inch beyond pan rim
6. Fold dough edge under itself, flush with pan rim. To flute, press down with your thumb and first finger on dough rim to make indentations; at the same time, press against dough edge with one finger of your other hand, pushing it between your fingers on the rim. Repeat indentations side by side around rim. Bake or fill crust as recipe directs

Notes

• Works well in a food processor too
• Recipe coutesy of Rebecca Ausman