Recipe: Flaky Pie Dough

Makes enough dough for 2 double-crusted 9-inch pies

- 5 ¼ cups unbleached all-purpose flour plus extra for shaping dough

- 1 tablespoon kosher salt

- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into ¼-inch pieces

- 1 ¾ cups solid vegetable shortening

- 1 cup ice water

- Parchment paper

- Baking weights or dried beans

1. Combine flour and salt in a large bowl and toss together. Add butter and cut it into flour until the texture is coarse and crumbly. You can use a pastry cutter or your fingers. Break up shortening into small pieces and cut into flour mixture until dough is crumbly again. Add ice water and mix just until water is incorporated and the dough holds together when pinched.

2. This dough is sticky so dust hands with flour and pull dough from bowl onto a lightly floured work surface. Form into a block. Cut into quarters and wrap individually in plastic wrap; chill in refrigerator at least 1 hour before using.

3. Remove one of the dough quarters from the refrigerator. Coat hands with flour and form into a ball. Working on a floured surface, flatten the ball slightly, then roll out the dough 1/8-inch thick. Check occasionally to make sure the dough is not sticking by lifting gently with a long, narrow spatula. Add more flour if needed. Fit the dough into a 9-inch pie pan, then trim edges of the dough to leave a 1-inch overhang around the pan. Fold dough under itself, creating a double-thick crust around the edge of the pie shell. Crimp with your fingers, then chill in the refrigerator or freezer for at least 30 minutes.

4. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line the chilled pie shell with an oversized piece of parchment paper and fill with the pastry weights or dried beans. Bake on center oven rack 25 to 30 minutes, or until edges are golden brown. Remove shell from oven and let sit 15 to 20 minutes before removing paper and weights. Check to make sure the bottom of the shell is done. If not, return to oven for 2 to 3 minutes. If bubbles appear, carefully depress them with a dishtowel. The entire pie shell should have a light, golden brown color. Let cool completely before filling.

Times Kitchen Note: This dough is very short and can be somewhat difficult to deal with. If the dough cracks when placing in the pan or when crimping the edge, seal with some of the unrolled dough before baking.

From "Macrina Bakery & Cafe Cookbook" by Leslie Mackie and Andrew Cleary