Ingredients
Scale
2.5 cups unbleached, all purpose flour (plus extra for rolling out the dough)
1 t salt
2 T sugar
12 T very cold, unsalted butter, cut into ¼ inch slices
½ cup very cold vegetable shortening, cut into pieces
¼ cup ice cold flavorless vodka
¼ cup ice water
Instructions
- Place 1.5 cups of flour, plus salt and sugar into a food processor. Pulse briefly to mix ingredients. Add the butter and shortening and process for 10 to 15 seconds, until clumps of dough just start to form. At this stage, it should look a little like cottage cheese.
- Scrape the dough down from the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add the remaining cup of flour. Give the processor another 4 or 5 quick pulses to mix in the last of the flour.
- Pour the dough mixture into a bowl. Sprinkle the vodka and the water over the dough, using a rubber spatula to fold the liquid into the dough, pressing it down with a folding motion until the dough sticks together. (Be gentle! You don’t want to overwork the dough.)
- Divide the dough into 2 balls. Press each ball into a disc the shape and side of a saucer. Wrap each disc in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour or up to 2 days.
- When you’re ready to make your pie, take the dough from the refrigerator and place it on a cool, generously floured surface. Roll the dough out into a circle, about 1/8 inch thick. Bake according to the instructions called for in your favorite pie recipe.