Skip to main content

Hot-Water Pastry Dough

5.0

(5)

This image may contain Food Bread Pastry Dessert Dish and Meal

This old-fashioned pastry dough makes a deliciously shortbread-like crust.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Cooks' Note

If dough feels dry or crumbly, add additional hot water by the tablespoonful.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    Makes enough dough for a double-crust 9 inch pie

Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick (1/2 cup) cold unsalted butter
2/3 cup cold vegetable shortening
1/3 cup boiling water

Preparation

  1. In a large bowl stir together flour and salt and make a well in center. Cut butter and shortening into bits and put into well. Pour boiling water over fats in bowl, stirring fats and water with a fork until water is incorporated (some of fat will still be in lumps). With fork incorporate surrounding flour until fat is evenly distributed. On a floured surface divide dough into 4 portions. With heel of hand smear each portion once in a forward motion to help distribute fat. Form dough into 2 pieces, one slightly larger than the other, and flatten into disks. Chill disks, wrapped in plastic wrap, until firm, about 1 hour. Dough may be made 1 day ahead and chilled or 2 weeks ahead and frozen, wrapped well. Let dough soften slightly before rolling out.

Read More
Like tiny tomato galettes and chimichurri grilled shrimp.
Turn humble onions into this thrifty yet luxe pasta dinner.
Filberts, goobers, scaly bark nuts: Explore the world beyond almonds in this guide.
Like swordfish steaks with tomatoes and Peruvian-style tofu.
Punchy, make-ahead chimichurri adds a bright, fresh finish to this easy summer dinner.
Thinly sliced and cooked hot and fast, pork tenderloin is the juicy, cook-quicking weeknight champion of this vegetable-heavy stir-fry.
Loosely inspired by pasta Amatriciana, a few pounds of zucchini stand in for tomatoes.
Assembled right in the skillet, no bowls needed.