Sunset’s Favorite Pie Pastry

In a bowl, mix 1 cup flour and the salt (for single crust) or 2 cups flour and the salt (for double crust). Add butter and shortening and, with a pastry blender or your fingers, cut in the fats or rub in with your fingers until the largest pieces are pea-size.

Sprinkle 3 tablespoons water (for single crust) or 6 tablespoons water (for double crust) over flour mixture. Stir with a fork just until evenly moistened. Gently squeeze about 1/4 cup of the dough into a ball; if it won't hold together, crumble lump back into bowl and sprinkle with more water, 1 tablespoon at a time; stir with a fork until evenly moistened.

With lightly floured hands, gently squeeze dough into a ball. For double crust, divide in half and shape each half into a ball. Pat dough into a smooth 4-inch-wide round (2 rounds for double crust). Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill until slightly firm, 15 to 30 minutes.

Lay dough (1 round for double crust) on a lightly floured surface. With a floured rolling pin, roll gently and evenly in short strokes from center of dough outward to form a 12-inch-wide round. If edges split while rolling, push them back toward center to make round relatively smooth. Occasionally slide a long metal spatula under dough and lift, dusting flour beneath to prevent sticking.

Fold the dough round in half, lift it gently without stretching, and lay the folded edge across the middle of a 9-inch pie pan. Unfold and ease dough into pan without stretching. With scissors, trim dough edge evenly 3/4 inch beyond pan rim.

For a single-crust pie: Fold dough edge under itself, flush with pan rim. To flute, press down with your thumb and first finger on dough rim to make indentations; at the same time, press against dough edge with 1 finger of your other hand, pushing it between your fingers on the rim. Repeat indentations side by side around rim. Bake or fill crust as recipe directs.

For a double-crust pie: Fill bottom crust as recipe directs. Roll second ball of dough as directed in step 4 into an 11-inch-wide round. If desired, make a decorative cutout in dough's center. Fold as directed in step 5, center on filling, and unfold. Trim edge flush with dough in pan. Fold dough edges under, flush with pan rim. Flute as directed for single-crust pie. If dough has no cutout, with a small, sharp knife, cut several 2- to 3-inch slits in top pastry to let steam escape.

For a lattice-top pie: Fill bottom crust as recipe directs. Roll second ball of dough as described in step 4, shaping it as close as you can into a 10-inch square. With a knife or fluted cutter, cut dough into 3/4-inch-wide strips. Arrange half the strips over pie filling about 1 inch apart. One at a time, weave remaining strips perpendicular to and over and under every other strip in the first set (lifting first strips as needed) into a lattice pattern. Trim edges flush with dough in pan. Fold dough edges under, flush with pan rim. Flute as directed for single-crust pie.

Per serving for a single-crust pie: 137 cal., 61% (84 cal.) from fat; 7 g protein; 3 g fat (9 g sat.); 12 g carbo (4 g fiber); 116 mg sodium; 12 mg chol.