Ingredients

• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup vegetable shortening
• 1/2 cup cream cheese
• 2 tablespoons water

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F if you are baking the pie shell.

2. Combine the flour and salt in a mixing bowl and stir with a fork to mix, or put into the food processor.

3. Add the shortening and cream cheese, and cut them into the flour until the mixture looks like small pebbles, it will be irregular, and some pieces will be larger than others, or process with"pulses" in a food processor.

4. Sprinkle the water evenly over the mixture, a little at a time, stirring with a fork or with"pulses" after each addition to distribute the water evenly.

5. Depending on the moisture in the cream cheese, the dough might not need all of the second tablespoon.

6. If it feels quite soft (but not sticky), and holds together in a rough ball, it is ready to roll out.

7. Shape it into a cake about 1 inch thick.

8. Dust your rolling surface and rolling pin with flour, and roll the dough into a circle about 1/2 inch thick and at least 2 inches larger than the inverted pie pan.

9. Transfer the dough to the pie pan, trim and crimp the edges, and the pie shell is ready to he filled before baking, or to be partially baked or fully baked.

10. To bake the pie shell; Prick the dough all over with a fork at 1/2-inch intervals.

11. Press a 12-inch square of heavy-duty foil snugly into the pie shell.

12. Bake for 6 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for 4 minutes more if you want a partially baked shell.

13. If the dough begins to puff or swell, push it down with the tines of a fork.

14. If you want a fully baked shell, bake for 8 to 10 minutes more, or until it is lightly browned.