Begin with very cold butter, you can put it in the freezer for 10 minutes.

Dice it with a knife into cubes about 1/3 inch across, they don’t have to be exact.

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar and salt.

Using a pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Add the ice water a tablespoon at a time and mix swiftly and gently.

Add just enough water to allow the dough to form into a loose ball.

Flatten the dough into a disk, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.

Roll the dough out on a floured surface with a floured rolling pin, to a 12 to 13 inch circle for a 9 inch pie pan, about 1/8 inch thick.

Turn it frequently to maintain its shape and prevent sticking.

Gently roll it over the rolling pin and transfer to your pie pan.

Press the dough evenly into the bottom and sides of the pie plate.

Trim dough to a 1-inch overhang using kitchen shears, fold under, and seal to form a rim, then crimp the rim with fingertips and knuckle.

Using a fork poke holes at the bottom of pie.

Wrap with plastic wrap and set in the fridge or freezer.

The dough must be well chilled before baking.

Add some aluminum foil or parchment paper onto the dough then weigh it down with rice, dried beans or pie weights.

Bake in a preheated oven at 375 F for 20 to 30 minutes, until the edges are golden, then remove the foil or parchment and the weights.

Bake 5 to 10 minutes more, until the bottom looks dry and matte.

* You can brush the entire shell with egg wash and bake a little longer. (The egg wash helps make the pie shell shiny and golden, but it also seals the bottom of the pie shell and prevents the filling from making the crust soggy)

Cool completely and set aside.

*If using a pie filling recipe that needs baked, bake according to that particular recipe.