INGREDIENTS | YIELDS enough dough for 1 pie

• 2 cups flour (pastry flour is best, but you can use all-purpose)
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 6 ounces (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, cold, cut into pea-size pieces
• ½ cup very cold water

1. Sift flour and salt together over a bowl containing the diced butter.

2. Using your hands, break up the butter into the flour until the flour assumes the color of the butter. There should still be some nuggets of unmixed butter.

3. Sprinkle in most of the water, and work quickly with your hands until dough clumps together. Add extra water if the dough feels too dry to roll. Do not overmix.

4. Separate dough into two balls, wrap separately, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.