Pastry Shell

Single crust, 8"or 9"
1 1/3 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup shorting
3 Tbs cold water

Double crust, 8" or 9"
2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
3/4 shorting
1/4 cup cold water

Combine flour and salt
Cut in shorting with a pastry blender or two knives until mixture is uniform (mixture should be fairly coarse)
Sprinkle with cold water, a tablespoon at a time with a fork
When all water is added, work dough into a firm ball. If pastry is too dry, add a little more water until if form into a firm ball

To make a single crust:
Press dough into flat circle with smooth edges. On lightly floured board or pastry cloth, roll dough into a circle 1/8" thick and about 1 1/2" larger than inverted pie plate. Pick dough up and gently ease into pie plate, being careful no to stretch dough. Trim to 1/2" beyond edge of pie plate. Fold under to make double thickness round rim. Flute edge.

To bake without filling:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Prick bottom and sides of crust with fork. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes.

To bake with filling:
preheat oven to temperature stated in recipe. Do not prick dough. Bake according to recipe.

To make a double crust:
Make bottom crust as described in the single crust except trim edge even with plate and add desired filling. Moisten rim of crust with water. Roll top crust the same way and lift onto filled pie. Trim 1/2" beyond edge of plate. Fold top edge under bottom crust and flute edge. Prick top crust.