Makes one 8 or 9-inch crust
 

156g plain flour (1 cup plus 2 TBS)

1/2 tsp salt

6 TBS all vegetable shortening

2 1/2 to 3 TBS ice water

Sift the flour into a bowl with the salt.  Drop in the shortening and then cut it in using two round bladed knives or a pastry blender, until it looks like coarse meal.  Add the water, 1 TBS at a time, stirring it in with a fork, lightly, until the flour is moistened and the dough barely clings together.  Gather the dough into a ball and pat flat into a disc.  Roll out on a lightly floured board to 1/4 inch thickness. (1 1/2 inch larger in diameter of the inverted tin, if using a 9 inch pie tin, and 2 inches larger if using an 8 inch pie tin).  Transfer to a pie tin.  Leave an 1/2 inch over hang and trim. Fold under and flute the edge all the way around, proceed as per recipe.

Note - if you are using this for a recipe which requires a pre-baked crust, prick all over with a fork. Bake at 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6 for 10 to 12 minutes, until golden brown.  Cool on a wire rack.