Instructions: Hand method: Combine the flour and salt in a mixing bowl and toss together. Drop in the shortening. With your fingertips, two knives, or a pastry blender, blend the ingredients together, working quickly, until you have a mixture of tiny, irregular flakes and bits about the size of coarse bread crumbs. Sprinkle on the water 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring gently with a fork after each addition. Add just enough water for the dough to form a rough mass.

With floured hands pat the dough into a smooth cake - or into 2 cakes, one just slightly larger than the other, if you are making a double-crust pie. The dough is now ready to use. It is not necessary to chill this dough, although for convenience it may be wrapped in plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 2 days.

Rolling out the dough: Roll the dough out on a floured surface (using the larger piece if it is the bottom of a double-crust pie) until it is about 1/8-inch thick and 12 inches in diameter, or about 2 inches larger than the top of the pie pan. Try to keep the dough as round as possible.

Transfer the rolled-out pastry to the pie pan. Pat the pastry in around the edges to fit the pans shape. If you are making a double-crust pie, roll out the remaining pastry for the top crust and set aside on waxed paper.

Comments: Crisp and flaky, a good crust for custard, chiffon, and fresh-fruit pies. For successful pastry making, follow these three rules: take care not to overblend the fat and flour, add sufficient water so that the dough can be rolled out easily (better too much water than not enough), and handle the pastry no more than necessary. Overblending, too little water and too much handling can make a crust tough. If you like the taste of butter, use it in place of shortening, or try a mixture of butter and shortening. The crust will be firmer than that made with shortening only.

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