“My Mother-in-Law, Helen, always thought I made the best pie crusts, but this is just from the inside cover of the Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook. The secret is not handling the dough heavily. Never re-roll more than once, or the crust becomes too tough.” – Calla Ferre
“It’s really worth it to make your own crusts. It’s not really that hard and it will save you money, in addition to having a better taste. I sometimes add a bit of cinnamon or nutmeg to my crusts for a little extra added flavor.” – April Ferre
Plain Pie Pastry
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 Cup All-Purpose Flour Sifted
- 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
- 1/2 Cup Shortening
- 4 to 5 Tablespoons Water or Milk Cold
Instructions
- Sift flour and salt. Cut in shortening until pieces are size of small peas.
- Sprinkle water or milk over, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing mixture after each addition.
- Form into ball and flatten into a disk. Wrap in plastic and chill for at least 30 minutes.
- Roll 1/8-inch thick from center to edge.
Baked Pie Shell
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Place rolled out dough into a 9-inch pie plate and flute edges. With a fork, prick the crust all over.
- Line the pastry shell with parchment paper and fill with pie weights.
- Bake pie shell for 35 to 40 minutes until golden.
- Remove from oven and transfer pie weights to a bowl to cool.
- Cool pie shell and then fill as desired.
- For a Two Crust Pie: 2 Cups Flour, 1 Teaspoon Salt, 2/3 Cup Shortening, 5 to 7 Tablespoons Cold Milk or Water.
Notes
For best results use butter-flavored shortening.
Use your leftover pie crust dough to make Cinnamon Sticks.
Recipe – Calla Ferre – From Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook
