How do you make pie pastry?

Making Perfect Pie Pastry:

Ingredients:

* 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

* 1 teaspoon salt

* 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces

* 1/2 cup ice water

Instructions:

1. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and salt.

2. Cut in Butter: Add the chilled butter to the flour mixture and use a pastry blender, two forks, or your fingers to cut the butter into the flour until it resembles coarse crumbs. The pieces of butter should be the size of peas or smaller.

3. Add Ice Water: Gradually add the ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing with a fork until the dough just comes together. Do not overwork the dough.

4. Form Dough: Divide the dough in half, flatten each half into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

5. Roll Out: On a lightly floured surface, roll out one disc of dough into a 12-inch circle. Transfer the dough to a 9-inch pie plate, gently pressing it into the bottom and sides. Trim the excess dough.

6. Chill Crust: Refrigerate the pie crust for at least 15 minutes before filling.

Tips for Success:

* Keep everything cold: Use cold ingredients and work quickly to prevent the butter from melting.

* Don't overmix: The more you work the dough, the tougher it will become.

* Refrigerate the dough: Chilling the dough allows the gluten to relax and prevents the crust from shrinking during baking.

* Blind bake the crust: If your filling requires a pre-baked crust, blind bake it by covering the crust with parchment paper and pie weights. This prevents the crust from becoming soggy.

* Use a pastry blender: This is the best tool for cutting the butter into the flour.

* Don't be afraid to adjust the water: If the dough is too dry, add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time. If it's too wet, add a little more flour.

Variations:

* Flaky crust: Use a combination of chilled butter and shortening.

* Sweet crust: Add 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar to the dry ingredients.

* Savory crust: Substitute herbs or spices for the sugar.

Enjoy your delicious homemade pie crust!