Bacon Pastry Crust

Total Time: 1 hr 50 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 4 ounces bacon, finely chopped
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces and kept cold
• 2 tablespoons vegetable shortening, cut into small pieces and kept cold
• 4 tablespoons water

Recipe

• 1 cook the bacon in a small skillet over medium heat until crisp and colored. drain on paper towels until cooled.
• 2 in the work bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, salt, and bacon. process to combine.
• 3 add the butter and shortening, and combine using short on/off pulses, until the mixture is roughly the texture of coarse cornmeal.
• 4 add the water in pulses, 1 tablespoon at a time.
• 5 turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, form into a ball, and lightly knead a few times by hand. flatten into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for 1 hour.
• 6 preheat the oven to 375°f.
• 7 roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface into a 1/8-inch thick circle, and press into a 9 inch tart pan.
• 8 line the shell with foil, and fill with pie weights (i just use rice). bake for 20 minutes.
• 9 remove the foil and bake for 10 minutes more, until light golden.
• 10 use in any recipe calling for a par baked crust.