Homemade Pie Shell

Method

1) Stir the flour and salt together. Cut the shortening in with a pastry cutter or with butter knives until the flour and shortening are the pieces of small peas (or smaller).
2) Sprinkle the mixture with the water, one tablespoon at a time. Push the mixture to the side of the bowl and form into a ball, adding an additional tablespoon or two of water if necessary (add water sparingly) so that the ball of dough doesn't easily fall apart.
3) Form the dough into a ball and refrigerate for about 30 minutes (if you have time).
4) Place the dough on a 12"x12" piece of parchment paper. Push the dough into a flat disk and with the rolling pin, starting from the center out, roll the dough out in every direction into a circle until the dough is 12" in diameter.
5) Pick the pie shell up with the parchment paper still attached and turn the dough onto the pie pan.
6) Push the dough and piece it together when necessary so that the entire pan is covered, without stretching the dough. The pie shell should overlap the pie pan by about 1/2" all the way around.
7) Using two hands, pinch the dough between your thumbs and pointer fingers all the way around the pie edges.
8) Your pie crust is ready for either a savory or a sweet filling!