Buttery Pie Crust
I like this pie crust!!!  It's a simple one that doesn't require a food processor.   The key is to keep it very cold and don't overwork it.
Ingredients - Makes two pie crusts.
2 & 1/2 cups flour
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
2 sticks VERY cold unsalted butter
1 cup VERY cold water  (I love to use sparkling water!!  I think it helps with flakiness.)
Steps
  1. Stir together in a large bowl the flour, sugar, and salt.
  2. Cut the very cold butter into 1/2-inch pieces.
  3. Sprinkle the butter pieces into the flour mixture and begin to incorporate them with a pastry blender or two knives, if you don't have a pastry blender.  I used a potato masher and it worked well!
  4. Work the mixture together until the butter pieces are the size of peas - then STOP!  You want this to look uneven and messy.  The gaps between the butter pieces and flour make the pastry flakey!
  5. Slowly pour about 1/2 cup of the icy water over the butter & flour.  Using a spatula, stir it together.  Add more water (by the tablespoon), if necessary.  Using your CLEAN hands, bring the mixture into one ball.
  6. Divide the dough in half and wrap each in Saran wrap.
  7. Chill for two hours - don't be tempted to hurry this part.
  8. Roll the pastry dough out on a well-floured board or surface - using a well-floured rolling pin.  Recipe makes two crusts.  You can freeze one, if you don't use it.  Just leave it in the dough ball and freeze, well-wrapped.  Thaw in refrigerator for several hours before using.  Do NOT thaw at room temperature.