Categories:Viewed: 88 - Published at: 10 years ago

Ingredients

  • 3/4 stick cold unsalted butter
  • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons cold vegetable shortening
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 to 4 tablespoons ice water

Method

  • Cut butter into 1/2-inch cubes.
  • Blend together flour, butter, shortening, and salt in a bowl with your fingertips or a pastry blender until most of mixture resembles coarse meal, with rest in small (roughly pea-size) lumps.
  • Drizzle 2 tablespoons ice water evenly over and gently stir with a fork until incorporated.
  • Pulse together flour, butter, shortening, and salt in a food processor until most of mixture resembles coarse meal, with rest in small (roughly pea-size) lumps.
  • Add 2 tablespoons ice water and pulse 2 or 3 times, or just until incorporated.
  • Gently squeeze a small handful: It should hold together without crumbling apart.
  • If it doesn't, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring or pulsing 2 or 3 times after each addition until incorporated (keep testing).
  • (If you overwork mixture or add too much water, pastry will be tough.)
  • Turn out onto a work surface and divide into 4 portions.
  • With heel of your hand, smear each portion once in a forward motion to help distribute fat.
  • Gather dough together and form it, rotating it on work surface, into a disk.
  • Chill, wrapped in plastic wrap, until firm, at least 1 hour.