Julia Child's Pie Crust (Páte Brisée Sucrée)

Julia Child’s Pie Crust (Páte Brisée Sucrée)

Author: Adapted from Julia Child

For one 8-9 inch pastry shell.

Ingredients

Instructions

Place the flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl of a food processor. Coarsely cut up the butter (1/2 inch pieces or so) and add to bowl, along with shortening. Flick the machine on and off 4-5 times. Turn the processor on and immediately add 4 tablespoons of the water. Immediately flick it a few times and the dough should begin to mass on the blade. If not, add another tablespoon of water and repeat. The dough is ready when it begins to mass. Be careful not to overmix!
Take the dough out of the processor onto a lightly floured surface. With the heel of your hand, rapidly press the dough outward and away from you in firm, quick smears of about 6 inches until you’ve gone around all the dough.
Gather the dough into a ball, sprinkle lightly with flour, cover with plastic wrap and chill in fridge for several hours.
May be kept refrigerated for several days or frozen for several weeks.