• Cut up the butter and shortening.
• Put the butter pieces in the FRIDGE, the shortening pieces in the FREEZER, and the vodka in the FREEZER for at least 1 hour or overnight.
• Combine 2 1/2 cups flour, 1 tsp table salt, and 1 Tbsp sugar (if using) in your food processor by pulsing 3 or 4 times.
• Add the butter and pulse 6 times.
• Add the shortening and pulse 4 times.
• Pop off the lid and sprinkle in the water and vodka.
• Replace the lid and pulse 13 to 15 times. If it looks like dough, stop immediately. You should see lots of specks of butter and shortening that are not blended. This is good.
• Pour the dough onto the counter and quickly form it into a ball (goal is to touch it as little as possible).
• Use a bench knife or butter knife to cut the ball in half.
• Shape each half into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.
• Remove one disk of dough from the refrigerator. Let sit 10-15 minutes. (It will crack if it’s too cold).
• Lightly sprinkle the top of the dough with flour before rolling.
• Roll out into a 12-inch circle.

For Fruit Pie (uncooked crust):

• Move the oven rack to the bottom 1/3 of the oven. Preheat oven to 425 F.
• Roll out bottom crust and place into a pie plate. Put crust in the fridge while preparing top crust and filling.
• Roll out top crust and have it ready.
• If using a pie bird, put it into the center of the bottom crust before adding the pie filling.
• Pour prepared pie filling into the UNCOOKED bottom crust.
• Cover with top crust (or cover with streusel etc. depending on your pie). Crimp together around the edges. Add decorative holes to release steam.
• Put the pie shield on (yes, at the beginning).
• Bake for 60 minutes or follow the pie instructions. Let cool FULLY so the inside sets (at least 3 hours).

To Blind Bake for lemon meringue, custard tarts, etc:

• Preheat oven to 425 F.
• Roll out dough the same as for unbaked pie shell.
• Poke bottom of crust with a fork ("docking") so the air can escape and not make bubbles in the crust.
• Place a large piece of parchment paper on top of dough and fill with pie weights, dry beans, or rice. Spread out evenly. If you need to trim the large edges of the paper, make sure to leave enough edge to be able to pick it up with the rice in it.
• Bake in the oven for 10 minutes.
• Carefully lift parchment with pie weights and place the whole thing in a METAL bowl. (Plastic melts! Let them fully cool before putting them away.)
• Put the pie shield on the pie, or a ring of aluminum foil over the edges so the crust does not overcook.
• Return pie crust to oven and continue baking until golden in color, approximately 10 to 15 minutes longer.
• Remove from oven and place on cooling rack. Let cool completely before filling.