- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 3/4 teaspoon sugar
- 11/4 sticks (10 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into bits
- 1/3 cup cold vegetable shortening
- 3 tablespoons sour cream
- 3 tablespoons ice water
- Blend together flour, salt, pepper, sugar, butter, and shortening with your fingertips or a pastry blender until most of mixture resembles coarse meal with remainder in small (roughly pea-size) lumps.
- Stir together sour cream and ice water, then stir into dough with a fork until incorporated. Gather dough into a ball.
- Flatten dough into a 6-inch square on a lightly floured surface. Roll out into a roughly 18- by 6-inch rectangle and fold into thirds (like a letter) to form a 6-inch square.
- Turn dough so an open-ended side is nearest you, then roll out dough into an 18- by 6-inch rectangle again, dusting work surface with flour as necessary. Fold into thirds same as above.
- Repeat rolling and folding 1 more time, then chill dough, wrapped in plastic wrap, at least 1 hour.