For the Dough

1. Remove 1/3 cup of flour from 2 cups of flour and set aside in a small mixing bowl. 
2. Mix the remaining flour and salt together in a medium to large mixing bowl. 
3. Add Crisco to the flour mixture – mix together thoroughly with hands until all of the Crisco is well incorporated into the flour mixture (“over-mixing” the dough is actually what you want to do here, which is the opposite of what you do when making dough for a butter crust). 
4. Add cold water to the 1/3 cup of flour and whisk together with a fork to form a paste. 
5. Add this mixture to the dough and mix with your hands until fully incorporated and just until the dough is not sticky anymore.
6. Separate dough into 2 equal-sized balls. 
7. Roll out each ball between two sheets of plastic wrap.

For Baked Fillings (apple, pumpkin, etc.)

1.  Add filling to unbaked shell.
2. Repeat step 9 with the other half to create a top crust or lattice, if desired. Bake according to your pie
3. recipe.

To Blind Bake (for cream pies):

1. Place the dough on a pie plate or tin.
2. Poke the bottom with a fork several times to avoid air bubbles.
3. Line the dough with tin foil and fill to the very TOP with plain white sugar (this is your weight- it will not touch the crust- do not reuse the sugar for eating but you may reuse it for blind baking).
4. Bake at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 8-10 minutes. It is not supposed to be brown. It will have a slight gold tint.