2 cups all-purpose flour,
1/2 cup sugar,
1/2 teaspoon salt.
1/2 cup butter
2 tablespoons vegetable shortening
two eggs
Sweet Pastry Dough:
In a large mixing bowl sift together 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cut 1/2 cup butter into small pieces and work it into the dry ingredients with an additional 2 tablespoons of vegetable shortening. Use a pastry cutter or fork for best results. You will need to work quickly so the butter doesn’t melt and make the pastry too greasy to prepare.
In a small mixing bowl lightly beat two eggs with 2 or 3 tablespoons ice water. Add this to the flour mixture and toss with a fork to combine. Knead the dough a couple of turns with the heel of your hand, just until it barely holds together, then flatten it. (Make sure not to overwork the pastry, because that would make it tough and coarse in texture.) Chill the pastry dough for at least 30 minutes to firm up the blended butter.
Before rolling, let the dough come to room temperature to make it easier to work with. Prepare any fruit pie of your choice with this easy-to-make pastry dough.