dough produce a crust that is both tender and
flaky. They disperse some of the fat evenly
into the dough, separating small particles
from each other, and some coarsely,
separating different layers of the dough from
each other. There are various ways to
accomplish this. One is to work the fat into
the dry flour in two different stages, the first
time finely, the second in pea-sized pieces.
Another is to add the fat all at once, and use
the fingers to fragment and gently rub the
chunks down to pea size; the rubbing does the
fine dispersion. (This method works better
with shortening than with butter, which warm
fingers can soften excessively.) A small
amount of cold water, 2–4 tablespoons per
cup/15–30 gm per 100 gm flour, is then added
and the mixture manipulated very briefly, just
until the water is absorbed and a dough forms.
Early American Pie Pastries
American pie pastry is notable for having