Pastry - Easy, Delicious and Very Versatile

lemon merigue pie

5 cups all-purpose flour      
2 tsp. salt
1 egg
1 lb. vegetable shortening
3 tbsp.  white vinegar
1 cup ice water 
1 tbsp. brown sugar

Pastry Assembly

1. Mix together flour, salt and brown sugar in a large, heavy mixing bowl. Whisk together or shift to remove the lumps.
2. Add shortening to flour mixture and cut up shortening into small chunks with either a knife, a pastry blender or your hands, cutting the shortening in to the flour until all the shortening is broken up and about the size of a quarter and mealy.  Be aware that if your hands are hot you can start to melt the shortening.
3. Measure out vinegar and egg into a two cup liquid measure cup. Whisk with a fork to blend.
   
4. Add enough ice cold water to egg/vinegar mixture to make a total of 1 ¼ cup of liquid.
5. Once flour and shortening is cut up into small chunks add liquid mixture to the flour mixture. Combine with your hands until the pastry just comes together into a large ball of pastry. Do not over mix at this stage or your pastry will be tough. 
6. Form dough into a flat disc and wrap in parchment paper and place in a clean plastic bag and store in the fridge to cool until needed. If not used this pastry can be frozen and kept frozen for several months.

Miriam's Time Saving Tip♥ Making this pastry ahead is a great time saver. It keeps well for over a week in the fridge as long as it is wrapped well. After making pies freeze the remaining pastry for use later.