Basic pastry I
Instructions:
- 21⁄2 cups all-purpose flour, divided;
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt;
- 2 tablespoons sugar;
- 12 tablespoons (11⁄2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into small cubes and chilled;
- 1⁄2 cup lard, cut into small cubes and chilled (about 4 ounces);
- 4 tablespoons vodka, chilled;
- 2 to 4 tablespoons ice water;
- Instant flour or additional all-purpose flour, for rolling.
- Place 11⁄2 cups of the flour and the salt and sugar in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade or pastry blade and pulse to combine. Scatter the cubes of butter and lard over the flour and pulse until the pieces of fat are the size of small peas. Add the remaining 1 cup of flour and pulse until the mixture looks like coarse cornmeal. Transfer into a large bowl.
- Sprinkle the vodka and 2 tablespoons of the ice water over the flour mixture and stir with a fork or rubber spatula to form large clumps that pull in all of the dry ingredients. Squeeze a small handful of dough; if it doesn’t hold together, stir in more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time. Although the pastry should not be wet, it works best when it is a little sticky.
- Gather the clumps into a smooth ball of pastry. Divide the pastry in half and shape each piece into a ball. Flatten each ball into a disk and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 3 days. This gives the pastry time to rest, so the flour can continue to absorb the liquid and the pastry will be easier to handle. For longer storage, place the wrapped pastry in a freezer bag and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before using.