Basic Pastry Dough

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

1. Mix the flour and salt in a bowl.
2. Cut in the shortening with a pastry blender or two knives.
3. Mix lightly only until the mixture resembles coarse meal and some of the shortening remains the size of very tiny peas; the texture will not be uniform but will contain crumbs and small bits and pieces.
4. Sprinkle the water over the flour mixture 1 tablespoon at a time and mix lightly with a fork, using only enough water so the dough will hold together.
5. Press the dough together into a ball.
6. If there are dry places that dont adhere, sprinkle a little more water over them.

flour, salt, vegetable shortening, cold water

Taken from www.cookstr.com/recipes/basic-pastry-dough (may not work)