Lard Piecrust

3 oz. lard
5 1/2 oz. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
4-6 Tbsp. ice water

Place bowl on kitchen scale, and weigh the lard and just enough flour to make 8 ½ ounces. Remove from scale and add the salt. Cut the lard into the flour with a pastry blender, until well blended. Quickly sprinkle about 3 tablespoons of the ice water over the lard mixture, stirring quickly and gently with a fork, to bring it all together into a crumbly mass of dough. Add more ice water as needed to bring the ingredients together.

Scoop up the dough in your hands and press it together into a flat disk about 4 inches across. Wrap in plastic wrap or waxed paper, and refrigerate for 1 hour. Set the dough out at room temperature for 10 minutes before rolling. Roll out as desired and gently transfer dough into pan. May refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 weeks.

Yield: Pastry for one 9-inch single-crust pie