Here's a pie pastry recipe you can really count on for good results. One important tip: be sure to allow enough time for chilling the dough. It'll help keep the pastry from sticking to the rolling pin. Use this recipe to create a Fauxberry Pie.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 cup cold unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup cold vegetable shortening
• 4 tablespoons cold water

Instructions

1. Whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Cut the butter and shortening into 1/4-inch pieces and toss them into the dry ingredients by hand to evenly distribute them. Now use a pastry blender to cut them into the flour until they are the size of small peas.

2. Sprinkle in half of the water and toss well with a fork. Add the remaining water a teaspoon at a time until the pastry will pack into a ball.

3. Knead the dough once or twice. Then place it on a large sheet of plastic wrap and flatten it into a 3/4-inch-thick disk. Wrap the disk in the plastic and chill it for about 1 hour. You can chill it longer, but it may get too firm; just let it sit at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes before rolling.

4. Working atop a sheet of lightly floured waxed paper, roll the pie pastry into a 12-inch circle with a flour-dusted rolling pin. Invert the rolled pastry over a 9-inch pie pan and peel off the paper. Gently fit the pastry into the pan without stretching it and pinch the edge into a fluted rim. Chill the shell in the freezer for 15 minutes before using.
   
   Additional Instructions: How to Prebake a Pie Shell

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• November 2004