Pastry for 9-Inch Pie

Lard pastry is the pie crust that built American baking, and a small amount of shortening alongside the lard is the trick that makes this version more workable than pure-lard pastry. Lard’s larger fat crystals create flakier layers than butter or shortening alone, while the shortening adds enough plasticity to keep the dough from cracking when rolled. The combination is what bakery pies of the mid-20th century relied on, before all-butter pastry took over the cookbook market.

The technique is straightforward but unforgiving. Cut the cold fats into the flour until the mixture looks like coarse grain, then add ice water a teaspoon at a time until the dough cleans itself from the bowl. That cleaning sign is the cue: stop adding water the moment it appears. The high blind-bake (475°F / 245°C metal, 450°F / 230°C glass) sets the layered structure quickly so the lard melts into the flour without weeping out as a greasy puddle. Trim, prick, and foil the edges before baking.

Pro Tips

• Render your own lard or use leaf lard if you can find it. Industrial hydrogenated lard tastes flat compared to the real thing.
• Always roll from the center outward in stroke patterns. Pressing back and forth toughens the dough.
• The fold-and-fold transfer trick keeps the rolled crust from tearing on its way to the pie plate.
• Glass plates need 25 degrees less heat to prevent the bottom from over-browning.

Variations

• Use all butter for a richer flavor at the cost of slightly less flakiness.
• Replace the shortening with a tablespoon of cream cheese for a tangier, even flakier crust.
• Add a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar to the ice water to inhibit gluten and tenderize the finished crust.