Basic Sweet Pie Crust

Ingredients

2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
3/4 cup solid vegetable shortening
3 to 4 tablespoons ice water

Instructions

Combine the flour, salt, and sugar in a mixing bowl. Add the shortening and work it in with your hands until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and work it in with your hands. Add only as much as you need for a smooth ball of dough. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator and place it on a lightly floured surface. For 2 crusts, cut the dough in two and put the second half back in the refrigerator. For each crust, roll out the dough on the floured surface into a circle about 12 inches in diameter and 1/8 inch thick. Gently fold the circle of dough in half and then in half again so that you can lift it without tearing it, and unfold into a 9-inch pie pan.

Fill and proceed as directed in the recipe.

Yield: two 9-inch pie crusts