Rich and Flaky Plain Pastry
Light pastry which is good for sweet or savories such as fruit pies, beef pies and quiches. Yields 1 double crust pie, 2 single shells or about 24-30 2" pies.
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 cup cold butter or margarine
- 1/4 cup pure lard
- 6-10 tbsp ice-cold water
Note: if making pastry for savories, don't use sugar
Instructions
- Stir flour, sugar, salt and baking powder together. If making pastry for savories, do not add any sugar
- Cut in lard and butter with pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture is crumbly.
- Add water, a little at a time, using just enough to bind mixture so that dough can be patted lightly to form a ball. Handle as little as possible.
- Pastry can be used immediately or refridgerated for use the next day.
- Roll dough from center outward,with a light, even pressure to form a circle, 1.5mm (1/16") thick and 2.5cm (1") larger than inverted pie plate.
- Fold double and lift gently into pie plate.
- Unfold and fit loosely in place. Do not stretch.
