Active time: 10 min Start to finish: 1 1/4 hr

　　

Ingredients

Makes enough dough for a single-crust 13- by 4-inch rectangular or 8 1/2-inch round tart

　　1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

　　3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

　　2 tablespoons cold vegetable shortening

　　1/4 teaspoon salt

　　2 to 4 tablespoons ice water

　　

Special equipment:

Special equipment: a pastry or bench scraper

　　

Step 1

Blend together flour, butter, shortening, and salt in a bowl with your fingertips or a pastry blender (or pulse in a food processor) just until most of mixture resembles coarse meal with small (roughly pea-size) butter and shortening lumps. Drizzle evenly with 3 tablespoons ice water and gently stir with a fork (or pulse in processor) until incorporated.

　　

Step 2

Squeeze a small handful: If it doesn't hold together, add more ice water, 1/2 tablespoon at a time, stirring (or pulsing) until just incorporated, then test again. (If you overwork mixture, pastry will be tough.)

　　

Step 3

Turn out mixture onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 4 portions. With heel of your hand, smear each portion once or twice in a forward motion. Gather dough together with scraper and press into a ball, then flatten into a 5-inch disk. Chill dough, wrapped in plastic wrap, until firm, at least 1 hour.