Flaky Pastry Dough

2 cups (9 ounces) all-purpose flour 
2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 to 8 tablespoons ice water

Place the flour, butter, and salt in a food processor fitted with the steel blade.  Pulse about 24 times, then open the machine and lift a handful of the crumbs.  The largest pieces of butter should be the size of raw grains of rice or barley.  If there are larger pieces, continue to pulse the mixture; however, do not process it too much, to the consistency of cornmeal.  

When the butter pieces are the correct size, transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl.  Sprinkle 6 tablespoons of ice water onto the dough.  Stir with fingers quickly and briefly, until the liquid is incorporated.  Squeeze a handful of the dough in your palm; the dough should have just enough moisture to stay together.  If needed, add water a few more teaspoonfuls at a time, until you can squeeze it into a ball that will not crumble when broken apart.  

If your kitchen is cool and ingredients were cold, the dough should be able to be rolled out now.  If too warm, wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for about 15 minutes.

To make tart shells, follow instructions for Free-Form Tart Shells.

Makes enough dough for 4 7-inch or 2 10-inch tart shells.

From The Herbfarm Cookbook by Jerry Traunfeld

Note:  To make the amount of dough for a double-crust 9-inch pie, make the dough using 1 1/2 cups (6 3/4 ounces) flour, 1 1/2 sticks (6 ounces) unsalted butter, 3/8 teaspoon salt, and 5 to 6 tablespoons ice water.