Place flour, sugar, and salt in bowl of a food processor; pulse until combined, 2 or 3 pulses. Add cold butter; pulse just until mixture resembles coarse meal (some pea-size pieces are fine), 12 to 15 pulses.

Transfer mixture to a bowl. (For best results, don’t use the food processor for this next step, though you might be tempted.) Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the water over mixture, gently tossing to evenly distribute. Repeat process with remaining 4 tablespoons water. A shaggy dough should begin to form. (Dough will look a little dry, but don’t panic; add up to 1 tablespoon more water, if needed.)

Turn mixture out onto a clean work surface. Using the heel of your palm, gently press and smear crumbly mixture into and across the work surface. Repeat process a few times, just until a cohesive dough forms.

Divide dough in half, and shape into 2 disks. Wrap in plastic, and chill for at least 1 hour, preferably overnight.

Roll out 1 dough disk on a lightly floured work surface to between ¼ and ⅛ inch thick, rolling in 1 direction, from center out, rotating dough a quarter turn every couple of rolls to prevent sticking. (This should yield a circle roughly 2 inches wider than a 9-inch pie plate all around. To check, place your pie plate upside down in center of dough.)

Gently roll dough onto rolling pin, and unroll over a tempered glass or metal pie plate; slide dough into bottom of pie plate. Tuck edges of dough under to form a lip; crimp as desired. Repeat process with other dough disk. Freeze for at least 30 minutes before baking or up to 1 month wrapped tightly in plastic wrap. Use dough as directed in desired pie recipes.