Homemade Flaky Pie Crust Recipe

Place flour, salt, and shortening in a medium size bowl. Cut the shortening into the dry ingredients with a pastry blender until mixture is a fine crumb with some pieces the size of small peas.

Add 3 Tablespoons of ice cold water to center of the crumb mixture. Gently shake the bowl back and forth to form larger balls of dough.

Spreading your fingers apart, "rake" the dough together, and gather into a ball. Press the dough into a ball and place on a well floured surface. Press dough down into a 1 inch thick disc.

Flour the rolling pin and roll the dough into a large circle about 3-4 inches larger than your pie plate.

Fold dough in half and carefully place in your pie plate. Placing the fold in the center of the pie dish. Unfold the dough and gently press down into the pie plate.

Trim the edge of the crust about 1 inch away from pie plate. Tuck the overhanging edge under itself and rest on the rim of the pie plate. For a fluted rim, press your thumb and index finger, held about 1 inch apart, against the outside of the rim, then poke a dent through the space from the inside of the pie crust with the index finger of your other hand.

Bake according to pie recipe.