Measure carefully – too much flour toughens pastry; too much liquid makes it soggy; too much shortening makes it greasy and crumbly. Handle dough lightly to inhibit excessive development of gluten. The aim is to make a flaky and tender crust.
Mixing the dough can be accomplished by hand or by machine. A pastry blender, with 5 or 6 bowed metal blades for cutting butter into flour, is the best tool for the hand method, but a food processor also makes a good and speedy dough.