I made my pie crust dough last night—ready for pie making tomorrow. While there are no guarantees with pie crust, I have had consistent luck with Julie Child’s basic recipe (enough for 4 crusts):

5 1/4 cups flour
1 tablespoon salt
1 1/2 sticks of chilled butter (6 oz)
1 3/4 cups chilled vegetable shortening*
1 cup ice water

I have best luck when I mix it in a food processor, although the old fashioned mixing with a pastry cutter thing also works. When I use the food processor, I have to cut the recipe in half.

Mix the cut up chilled butter into the four until it is pea sized. Then mix in the shortening until the dough is crumbly but holds together if you squish it. Then drizzle in the water until it is a soft dough. Don’t over mix!

Turn out onto a clean counter. Give in a little knead to stick together. Divide into four equal blobs (or 2 if you cut the recipe in half), flatten slightly, and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill for a least an hour or up to a week. You can also freeze the blobs for several weeks.

Let them sit at room temp for just a few minutes before you roll them out.

NOTE: I actually use lard instead of vegetable shortening; very 1950s! Scary for many people, but veg. shortening has hydrogenated oil in it, lard doesn’t. Actually, lard from the grocery store is hydrogenated. You have to get it from a butcher. I get it in pint tubs from La Palma Mexicatessen in the Mission District in San Francisco. It makes the very best pie crust, but Crisco works too. Just don’t use all butter – butter gives it good flavor, but it won’t be flakey.