Directions

1. Place flour, salt, and sugar in the bowl of a food processor, and process for a few seconds to combine. Add butter, and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal, about 10 seconds. With the machine running, add ice water in a slow, steady stream, through the feed tube, just until the dough holds together. Do not process for more than 30 seconds.
2. Turn the dough out onto a work surface. Divide in two. Place each half on a sheet of plastic wrap. Flatten, and form two discs. Wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before using.
3. On a lightly floured surface, roll one piece of dough into a 1/8-inch-thick round. Fit into desired pie plate (8 to 10 inches in diameter). Trim pastry using scissors or a sharp paring knife. Crimp or decorate the edges of the pastry as desired. Transfer to refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes.
4. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prick the bottom of pastry all over with a fork. Line the pastry with parchment paper; fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until pastry begins to color around the edges, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the parchment paper and weights, and continue to bake just until the pastry dries out and turns a light golden color for a partially baked shell, and a deeper amber for a fully baked shell, 5 to 20 minutes more. Cool completely on a wire rack before filling.