Food Processor Pastry

A food processor takes the guesswork out of pie crust. Instead of cutting shortening into flour by hand with a pastry blender (which takes practice and patience), a few quick pulses do the job in seconds. The blade breaks the fat into the flour evenly without warming it up, which is the secret to flaky pastry.

Four ingredients: flour, salt, shortening, and cold water. Pulse the dry ingredients, add the shortening and pulse until it looks like coarse meal, then drizzle in cold water with the processor running until the dough just barely forms a ball. Overprocessing makes tough pastry, so stop the second it comes together.

Thirty minutes of chilling firms the dough so it rolls out smoothly without sticking or tearing.

Kitchen Tips

• Use ice-cold water, added one tablespoon at a time. Too much water at once makes the dough sticky and the baked crust tough.
• Pulse, don’t hold the button down. Short bursts keep the fat in distinct pieces that create flaky layers. Continuous processing turns it into a smooth paste.
• Prick the bottom and sides generously with a fork before blind baking. Without those holes, the pastry puffs up with steam and bakes unevenly.

Variations

• Use half butter and half shortening for a crust with more flavor and slightly less flakiness.
• Add a teaspoon of sugar and a splash of vinegar for a slightly sweeter, more tender pastry.
• Double the recipe for a two-crust pie. Divide the dough in half before chilling.