The pastry must be cut before the pie can be formed

   a good (and quick) pastry crust requires the "cutting in" of a fat in a chilled semi-solid state (usually butter, a butter/oil blend, lard, chicken fat, or coconut oil) into lightly salted flour (preferably chilled). Once the fat has been "cut" into pea-size flour coated granules, a little ice water can be added to encourage the dough to be manageable with minimal kneading.
   for this act of "cutting" chilled fat into flour, you will find forks very difficult, and knives next to useless. These pastry blenders, one antique American, and one contemporary German, make quick work of  preparing crust for a big batch of pies, tarts, or pasties.
 

blackberry-rhubarb tarts













pork and vegetable filled pasties