Instructions

1. Combine the salt and most of the flour in a mixing bowl, keeping back 1/4 cup of flour. Cut the lard into coarse chunks and add it to the flour. Break up the pieces with your fingers, until the lard is well mixed into the flour and the chunks of lard are the size of peas.

2. Drizzle 1/4 cup of cold water over the flour mixture, and quickly gather it together with your fingers into a ball. If the ball holds its shape with only a few dry flakes falling away, the dough is ready. If not, add 1 tbsp. of cold water at a time until the dough forms a ball. The dough will look dry and floury in patches, but this is normal.

3. Wrap the dough ball with plastic wrap, or leave it in the bowl and cover it closely with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least two hours to rest the dough and allow the water to spread evenly throughout the dough ball.

4. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and divide it into two equal pieces. Shape the pieces into rough discs, and set them aside. Lightly dust your work space with some of the remaining flour. Put the first half of the dough on your workspace, and dust the top sparingly with flour.

5. Roll the dough from the middle to the edge with the rolling pin. Give the dough a quarter turn, and roll again. Repeat, rolling from the middle to the edge, until the dough has reached the desired size. If the dough sticks, lift it and dust underneath with additional flour. Repeat with a second dough ball. Use immediately, refrigerate or freeze.

6. Add vinegar, if desired, during the mixing stage. This reduces gluten formation, resulting in a more tender crust.