• In medium bowl, mix flour and salt (and sugar if you choose). Cut in shortening, using a pastry blender (or pulling 2 table knives through the ingredients in opposite directions), until the clumps of dough coming together are size of small peas. Sprinkle with cold water, 1 Tablespoon at a time, tossing with fork until all four is moistened and pastry almost leaves side of the bowl (1-2 teaspoons water can be added if necessary). You want to make sure the dough is coming together.
• Gather Pastry into Ball. Shape into a flattened round disc. (For Two-Crust Pie separate the dough in half and shape into 2 round discs. I usually make one a little bit bigger for the bottom crust ).
• TIP: The Betty Crocker Recipe says to wrap and chill for 45 minutes because it ill make the crust more flakey. I don't chill my crust and it still comes out flakey. And it's so much easier to manage when it's not been chilled for that long. Perhaps, chill for 15 minutes but I don't chill mine at all anymore.
• Roll Pastry on lightly floured surface, using a floured rolling pin, into circle 2 inches larger than upside down 9 inch pie plate.
• TIP: Take a floured flexible turner and loosen the crust from your counter top. Then Drape part of the crust onto your rolling pin. Lightly and gently roll the crust around the rolling pin and then transfer the dough into the pie plate by gently unrolling the dough. Press dough firmly against the bottom and sides of the pie plate. Try not to stretch the crust because that will cause it to shrink when baked.

Unbaked Pie

• Trim overhanging edge of pastry (about 1 inch from the rim of the pie plate). Fold and roll pastry under, even with the plate; flute (make is fancy)! Fill and bake as directed in specific recipe.

Partially Baked Pie

• To prevent a soggy crust, partially bake pastry before adding filling. Heat oven to 425°F. Carefully line pastry with a double thickness of foil to bottom and sides of pastry and fold over edge of plate to prevent excessive browning. Bake 10 minutes, carefully remove foil and bake for 2 minutes longer until pie begin to brown and set. (If bubbles, just press bubbles down with a back of a spoon)

Baked Pie

• Heat oven to 475°F trim overhanging edge of pastry 1 inch from rim. Fold and roll pastry under even with the pie plate rim. Prick bottom and side of pastry throughly with fork. Bake 8-10 minutes or until light brown. Cool on wire rack.
• TIP: I will use parchment paper and place on my pie crust and fill the empty pie pastry with dried garbanzo beans. The beans act as a weight a½nd allow the pastry to cook. After 7 to 8 minutes, I will remove the parchment paper with the beans and cook 2 additional minutes. You can also use this method for partially baked crusts instead of the foil.