Perfect Pie Crust

Ingredients

• 1½ cups all-purpose flour / plain flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup vegetable shortening / shorteningbutter or margarine, or vegetable fat spread
• ¼ cup butter
• 4-5 tablespoons ice water

Directions

1. Butter a 9-inch pie plate or skillet. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine the flour and the salt. Cut in the shortening and butter with a pastry blender or two forks until the mixture resembles a coarse meal.
3. Gradually add enough ice water to the mixture while mixing with a wooden spoon until a ball of dough is formed. Pour the dough onto a lightly floured sheet of plastic wrap and form into a disc.
4. Lightly flour the top of the pie dough and place another sheet of plastic wrap on top.
5. Rolling from the center, roll until the dough is about a ⅛-inch thickness. Remove the top piece of plastic wrap, fold the dough over and lay across the pie plate and remove the bottom piece of plastic wrap.
6. Press the pie dough lightly into the bottom and sides of the pie plate. Cover the pie plate with a piece of the plastic wrap and place in the freezer for at least 30 minutes to overnight.
7. If pre-baking, use a fork and lightly prick the bottom and sides of the pie dough. Then preheat the oven to 425 degrees F / 218 degrees C / Gas 7. Bake the pie crust for about 8 minutes.
8. If not pre-baking, simply fill the pie crust with pie filling and bake according to instructions for the pie recipe.