PÂTE BRISÉE

Ingredients:

2 cups unbleached flour

1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

4 ounces chilled unsalted butter (1 stick)

3 tablespoons shortening

5 – 6 tablespoons ice water

Directions:

• Stir the salt into the flour.
• Cut the butter into pea-sized pieces and blend into the flour with a pastry blender or your fingers. When mixture is mealy work in the shortening.
• Make a well in the center of the ingredients, and add 5 tablespoons water.  Work the water into the dry mix adding the extra tablespoon if it’s hard to form a dough.
• On a lightly floured surface, smear the dough with the heel of your hand to further distribute the fats in the  dough.
• Wrap the dough airtight, and refrigerate it for at least 2 hours.