The key to this crisp, flaky pastry is to handle the dough as little as possible and to keep it cool.
Recipe information
Yield
Makes enough pastry dough for one 9-inch pie or one 10-inch tart
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Into a chilled large metal bowl sift together flour, sugar, and salt. Set a grater in flour bowl and coarsely grate frozen butter into flour mixture, gently lifting and tossing flour to coat butter. Chill flour mixture 20 minutes.
Step 2
Drizzle 6 tablespoons ice water evenly over flour mixture and gently stir with a fork until just incorporated. Test mixture by gently squeezing a small handful: When it has proper texture it should hold together without crumbling apart. If necessary, add enough remaining ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring until just incorporated, and test mixture again. (If you overwork mixture or add too much water, pastry dough will be tough.)
Step 3
Turn mixture out onto a lightly floured surface and with floured hands mound into 4 portions. With heel of hand smear each portion once in a forward motion to help distribute fat.
Step 4
Gather dough portions together and form dough, rotating it on work surface, into a disk (dough will not be smooth). Chill dough, wrapped in plastic wrap, at least 2 hours, or until firm, and up to 2 days.
