Pie Crust Tips and Recipe

Warning: Picture Intensive!

I use to hate making pie crust. It was always so difficult to work with. I found out later why. My crust was always too dry. So here is some tips that makes it really easy and fun to make pie crust.

(Pie is one of my favorite desserts and that is why I never gave up)

You can use these tips with any recipe, but I am sharing the one I use the most and that is in the Betty Crocker cookbook from 1971.

8 or 9 inch one crust pie

1 cup allpurpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup plus 1 Tbsp shortening (only 1/3 cup if using lard)
2 to 3 Tbsp cold water (I use ice water and I use 1/4 to 1/3 cup)

Mix the flour and salt and then add your shortening. I like to use a little plastic wrap in the measuring cup because it saves on dishes.

I also like it because almost all of the shortening ends up in the bowl.

I really dislike wasting food.

Beautiful! Now cut in the shortening.

I like it when it is a little smaller, like pea size. You can do bigger pieces if you like flakier crust.

Here is the most important part. Poor in enough ice water that your dough is wet and sticky. Don't make it mush, but it needs to be fairly moist.

Mix it with your hand just until it is all wet. You want the shortening pieces to stay together as much as possible.

I got mine a little wet, but that is alright. It's better if it is a little too wet then not wet enough.

Wrap it in a ball in plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least 20 minutes. This will help the shortening harden and make the wet dough easier to work with.

The flakier the crust the larger the shortening veins are when rolling it out.