THE ART OF MAKING PIE CRUSTS

MAKING PIE DOUGH FOR SOME CAN BE INTIMIDATING. NOT SO MUCH I THINK. SOME WOULD ALSO TELL YOU THAT UNSALTED BUTTER IS A MUST, MARTHA STEWART. AGAIN NOT SO. I learned to cook in the 20 some odd years that I participated in the food competitions at the State Fair of Texas. I have made it every way, tried, practiced, tried and made it again to no avail. The "older" ladies in the gallery at the fair set me straight. "If you want a flaky crust use Crisco"...them, me..."Crisco?", them..."Yes Crisco". You know what...they were right. I'm not saying Martha is wrong. I'm just saying she hasn't come up against the fierce competition at the Texas State Fair, and I do mean Fierce! The best cooking school a young wife and mother could ever hope to have. So here it is, all the way from my kitchen to yours, my recipe for pie dough.

• 1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2  cup Crisco
• pinch of salt
• 3-4 Tbsp. ice cold water

Mix the flour, Crisco and salt in a large mixing bowl, until it forms into the size of large peas. I use my hands, SO much easier than a pastry cutter and much quicker. Add the ice water, stir with a fork until it forms into a large ball. Cover your counter top with plastic wrap and dust lightly with flour. Pat your dough down into a flat round disc, place it in the middle of your plastic wrap. Dust the top lightly with flour and cover with plastic wrap. *I cover my counter and dough for two reasons. One being it prevents a huge mess and your clean up time is less than 5 minutes. Secondly, and more importantly, when rolling out your dough it keeps you from having to add excess flour causing your dough to be tough. 

With rolling pin in hand begin rolling from the center of your dough out. Change directions, roll from the center out. Keep going until it is large enough for your pie plate. Take off the top piece of plastic wrap, turn your pie plate upside down placing on top of your dough. Putting your hand under the bottom piece of plastic wrap, flip the pie plate and dough all at once and peel off your plastic wrap. If you need to trim the edges of your dough, do so now. Even out your edges by turning them under slightly and squeezing them together with your hands and fingers. Once you have a nice edge you can crimp any style edge you want, I pinch mine together at an angle using my thumb and bent forefinger.  Pop your pie plate in to the freezer, if you are not using it for awhile or the refrigerator if you are baking a pie the same day. Once your crust or pie is frozen make sure to wrap it with freezer safe wrap. I always brush the edge of my crusts with beaten egg white after filling the shell. It makes for a golden and shiny crust. I do hope this is helpful and will be a time saver for you during the holidays. Please give it a whirl, once you get used to making your own pie crust you will be amazed at how quickly you can turn them out. FYI: You can always bake your pies ahead of time also and freeze them as well.  How easy is that, pull them out of your freezer the day before Thanksgiving or Christmas!

*This recipe can easily be doubled for a two crust pie or if you are making more than one pie.