I have been making pie crust for a long time (maybe 20 years!) but have never made a perfect pie crust until last week.

I’m a little hesitant to give up this recipe because I think of it as my grandmother’s even though I have no memory of her ever making a pie. It came out of her big old red cookbook, the name of which I no longer know (and again, I have no memory of her ever using this or any cookbook). I have since made a lot of adjustments and last week I ended up with the perfect recipe. Or maybe it was something about the atmosphere, timing, etc. that will make it impossible to reproduce.

Plain Pastry
Yield: 1 double crust (or two singles, obviously)

1 1/2 c all purpose flour
1/2 c wheat flour
1 tsp salt
9 T butter
1/4 to 1/2 c ice water

Mix 1 c all purpose flour, wheat flour and salt. Cut butter into flour mixture using a pastry cutter, fork or fingers. Mix in remaining 1/2 c flour. Drizzle water a little bit at a time, incorporating using a rubber spatula, not really mixing but gently sticking the flour-fat particles together. Divide in two (make one slightly larger if making a double crust pie), shape into balls and flatten into discs, wrap in plastic wrap or wax paper. Chill 30 minutes (or freeze for later use).