PIE CRUST

Pie is a "thing" at our house. We love pie. I've been working at perfecting my pies for decades now. My mom and I had a bake-off many years ago and she won, so I've been trying to catch up ever since. Good crust is flaky and flavorful. It also needs to be workable so you can roll it out and it won't fall apart, so there's an art to it. A food processor that you can quickly pulse with is really helpful. The old-school in me likes to use a pastry cutter or even just my hands though, when I am making pie for the masses.

There are a few basic rules I follow in pie crust making:

Repeat after me: Cold - Quick - and Not Too Thick!

COLD! keep your ingredients cold, so they have a bit of independance from each other. This is how crust gets flake and flavor. 

QUICK! Do not over mix, for the same reason.

and NOT TOO THICK! Roll your dough so it is workable, but not thick. Thick pie crust doesn't cooperate in the oven. Roll it to the general thickness of a Chinette paper plate.

Pie Crust mixed in food processor - One 10 inch 2 crust pie

3 c flour

½+ t salt

¼ t baking powder

2 t sugar

Pulse 10 seconds in processor with cutting blade

 

Cut 1 c cold butter plus 2T cold lard into small pieces

Add fat to flour mix and pulse 10-20 times. Fat should be in small distinct pieces

Add 1 /2 – 2/3 c. ice cold water to dripper and pulse until it binds. Maybe 10 seconds?

Remove and chill in discs.

Roll out on lightly floured surface to an inch or two larger than your pie plate.

 Crust for two 9 or 10" two crust pies (mix by hand)

7 c flour

3 t salt

2 cubes butter

1 c lard

½ c Crisco shortening

1 t baking powder

1 ¼ c cold milk

Cut fats into flour, to small pea size pieces.  (Rub between hands or use pastry cutter or forks). You will want small distinct flecks of fat, so don't overdo it so it looks like sand.

Chill in fridge or freezer. 

Add milk to flour mix. Do not overmix, but make sure all flour is mixed in. 

Divide into fist size balls, press down into disc and chill in plastic wrap for 30 min to 1 hour. This relaxes the dough and helps the flour accept the liquids correctly. 

Roll out on floured board or silpat pad, or wax paper.  Place pie tin above it to determine size (cut big enough to pinch edges.)  

Fill. I tend to overfill with fruit because it cooks down. 

Brush top with egg whites, sprinkle with white sugar. (don't add sugar to savory pies.)

Cut steam vents.  Bake.  

For single crust pies: pinch edges then prick bottom and sides with fork before you bake. Or place parchment paper on top of crust and fill with dry beans to weigh down. (Maybe 1 c beans.)

Bake in preheated oven 375 degrees, or as directed in fruit pie recipe.  Till golden brown, time depends on filling recipe.  For one crust bake 15 - 20 minutes, or until golden.

9-12 pies  Thanksgiving Wednesday Pie Night at Connors’

2 c butter (cold)

2 c cold lard

1 c shortening

 

10 c flour

5 T sugar (only if making crust for sweet pies. No sugar for savory like chicken pot pie.)

2 ½  t. baking powder

5 t salt

2 ½ c cold milk

Follow same instructions as above. 

Thanksgiving pies lined up in our back entry.

Wednesday before Thanksgiving is Pie Night.
We gather at our house and make a joyful mess.
Here's the counter when we're done,
bread drying for stuffing next to the pies.