Basic pastry II
Instructions:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour;
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt;
- 1 teaspoon sugar;
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small cubes and chilled;
- 1⁄2 cup vegetable shortening, cut into small cubes and chilled (about 4 ounces);
- 1 large egg;
- 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar;
- 5 to 8 tablespoons ice water;
- Instant flour or additional all-purpose flour, for rolling.
- Place the flour, 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 shortening over the flour and pulse until the mixture resembles wet sand with a few pieces of fat the size of small peas.
- Whisk together the egg and vinegar and 5 tablespoons of the ice water in a small bowl, whisking until well-blended. Pour over the flour mixture and pulse to form large clumps that pull in all of the dry ingredients. Squeeze a small handful of dough; if it doesn’t hold together, sprinkle in more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and pulse only until incorporated.
- Gather the clumps into a smooth ball of dough. 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.