Aunt Nancy'S Flaky Pastry Crust - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup shortening, plus
2 teaspoons shortening (solid vegetable or lard)
1/3 cup cold water

Preparation

Cut shortening into flour with a pastry blender or with two butter knives until it resembles a coarse meal.
Add cold water gradually and mix until the flour/shortening comes together to form a ball that holds its shape and is not sticky. If necessary, add more water or flour.
Divide ball in two, and roll each separately into a circle large enough to fit your pie pan.
For a double crust filled pie, place one shell into pie pan. Add pie filling and top with other crust. Bake as directed on pie filling recipe.
For 2 single crust pies, place each shell into 2 pie pans, add filling and bake as directed on pie filling recipe.
For 2 single crust pre-baked shells, place each shell into a pie pan and bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes or until golden brown. Cool before filling.