Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup vegetable shortening
• 1/4 cup water

Instructions

1. Sift flour before measuring; spoon lightly into measuring cup and level without shaking or packing down.

2. Combine flour and salt.

3. With a pastry blender or two knives, cut in vegetable shortening until uniform; mixture should be fairly coarse.

4. Sprinkle with water, a tablespoon at a time; toss with a fork.

5. Work dough into a firm ball with your hands; divide dough into two parts and press into flat circles with smooth edges.

6. On a lightly floured surface, roll bottom crust to a circle about 1 1/2" larger than inverted pie plate.

7. Gently ease dough into pie plate; trim edge even with plate and add filling.

8. Moisten rim of bottom crust with water.

9. Roll top crust the same way and lift onto filled pie; trim 1/2" beyond the edge of pie plate.

10. Fold top edge under bottom crust and flute with fingers or fork.

11. Prick or slit top crust to allow for escape of steam; bake according to time and temperature recommended for filling used.