In 2018, Food & Wine named this recipe one of our 40 best: This pastry shell is the basis for Mom’s Citrus Meringue Pie. It uses fresh orange juice to bring flavor to the crust. Because there’s lard in the dough, it softens quickly at room temperature; work quickly when rolling it out.
How to Make It
Stir together flour and salt in a medium bowl. Using a pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in lard until mixture resembles small peas. Using a fork, gradually stir in 5 tablespoons orange juice; stir until dough comes together. (Add remaining 2 tablespoons orange juice, 1 tablespoon at a time, if needed.) Flatten dough into a disk; wrap in plastic wrap, and chill 1 hour or up to 2 days.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Unwrap dough, and roll into a 12-inch circle on a lightly floured surface. Without stretching dough, fit dough circle into a 9-inch pie plate. Fold edge of dough under, and crimp edges or press with the tines of a fork. Using a fork, prick bottom of dough all over. Freeze 15 minutes. Bake in preheated oven until golden brown, about 30 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack, and cool pastry shell completely before filling, about 30 minutes.