Catherine's Pastry Dough
lynnescountrykitchen.net

This flaky crust is very durable. Try it if you can get some good fresh lard. It is fine for meat or other main-dish pies.

INGREDIENTS

2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/3 cup lard
1/3 cup ice water, approximately
1/3 cup butter

Mix the flour, salt, and baking powder in a bowl. Work in the lard until it resembles coarse meal or very small peas. Sprinkle in up to 1/3 cup ice water, drop by drop, stirring lightly with a fork and using only enough water to hold the dough together.

Roll the dough into a rectangle. Dot with a third of the butter, then roll up the dough like a jelly roll. Roll out again until 1/4-inch thick and dot with a third of the butter. Roll up the dough and repeat once more. Chill 30 minutes.

Roll the bottom crust out 2 inches larger than the pie pan. Fit the dough in the pan. Roll out the top crust. Fill the pie, then put on the top crust and put vents in it. Or cover the top with lattice strips. Crimp or flute the edges. Bake as indicated in the filling recipe.

Makes one 8-inch two crust pie or one 9-inch lattice pie.