How to Make Pie Crust

Cut 1 cup cold butter into 1/2-inch cubes. Place in freezer for 15 minutes. Mix 2 1/2 cups flour with 1 teaspoon salt and 1 tablespoon sugar in large bowl. The butter should feel rock-hard when ready.

Add frozen butter cubes to flour mixture. Cut butter into flour using pastry cutter, pressing straight down and twisting slightly, for 3-4 minutes until mixture looks like coarse breadcrumbs with some pea-sized butter pieces visible.

Sprinkle 6 tablespoons ice water over mixture. Toss with fork until dough starts clumping. Add 1-2 more tablespoons water if needed. Dough should hold together when squeezed but not feel wet or sticky.

Dump mixture onto clean counter. Use heel of hand to smear dough forward in 6-inch strokes. This creates butter layers. Gather dough into ball, divide in half, and flatten each into 5-inch disk.

Wrap each disk tightly in plastic. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to 3 days. Dough should feel firm like cold clay when ready to roll.

Remove one disk from fridge 10 minutes before rolling. Flour counter and rolling pin. Roll from center outward, rotating dough quarter-turn after each roll, until circle measures 12 inches across and 1/8-inch thick.

Transfer dough to 9-inch pie plate by rolling it loosely around rolling pin. Unroll over plate. Press gently into corners without stretching. Trim overhang to 1 inch. Fold edge under and crimp with fingers or fork.