Fabulous Flaky Pie Crust

Many people want to make a perfect pie the first time they try, if they succeed, it is pure luck! Once you know how to make a fabulous crust you realize how easy it is. Many famous chefs will say, "Nothing to it, you just have to..." what arrogance!!!

There are as many recipes and techniques as there are pie makers. You have to find which is best for you, and to do that, you have to try many techniques and recipes, before you discard any, you have to try it a couple of times to make sure YOU aren't doing anything wrong. Some people use a food processor, others a mixer, pastry cutters, two knives and the list goes on and on. Then there is the ingredients; some love butter, others lard or shortening, eggs, no eggs, what kind of flour, baking powder? some cooks and most chefs will faint at the mention of baking powder and pie crust in the same sentence, oh my yes. I started with a pastry cutter to cut in the shortening -see Photo 2, actually I like using a compound [butter and shortening].

When I was first attempting to make pie crust, I made the crust and then baked it on a cookie sheet [no filling] to see how the crust turned out and not waste the filling. Too much -hot, warm or cold- water eliminates the flakiness, too little makes for a crumbly crust. Use an egg? it has never worked for me. Salt, yes, by all means, Kosher is nice. Baking powder... well, yes I use it, but not so much as to leave a 'taste' in the crust. Vinegar, I love it, but, only the right kind. Cold everything, give me a break. If the fat [lard, butter, shortening, compound] is too cold, it won't break up, ice water is just too cold, chilled is the key word here. Anything chilled should give you goose-flesh if placed in the small of you back, but not cold enough to make you scream. If you are willing to experiment and don't through a fit if it doesn't turn out right the first couple of times, you to can make wonderful pie crust and it will be truly fast and easy. An added benefit is, if you can make pie crust, you can then make truly wonderful biscuits and scones!

If you would like to see OLD Traditional European Pies: http://www.historicfood.com/portal.htm

Photo 1 will show you a finished bottom crust fore a single crust pie, for most fruit and meat pies you will want a top crust also.

Photo 1

1. There are four basic ingredients in a standard piecrust: flour, fat, liquid, and salt. Flour is necessary to form the structure and bulk of the crust, fat to add flavor and to create a flaky texture, liquid to bind the dough and keep it pliable, and salt to enhance the flavor and brown the crust. PLUS, a bit of sugar and baking powder.

Photo 2

2. When making this type of pie crust, chill the fat (butter, margarine, shortening or lard) and liquids (milk or water) before you begin. Chilling will prevent the fat pieces from getting creamed into the flour. Stir the flour, salt and sugar together in a large bowl. Cut the chilled butter or shortening into the dry mixture using a pastry cutter or by pinching the fat into the mixture with your hands. The resulting mixture should have fat lumps no larger than peas. See Photo 2

3. Pour in the chilled water a tablespoon at a time, mixing gently with a fork after each addition. You should be able to gently press the dough into a ball. Handle the dough as little as possible: you don't want to cream the lumps of fat into the flour, as a crust without discrete lumps of fat will be dense, not flaky.

Photo 3

4. Split the dough into two equal amounts. Pat them into balls, flattening them slightly, and wrap them in plastic wrap. The dough needs to rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Chilling lets the flour absorb all of the liquid, lets the dough relax and become more elastic, and keeps the fat in discrete pieces which will give the crust a lighter texture when it is baked.

5. Generously dust a clean, dry surface with flour; remove and unwrap one of the discs of dough from the refrigerator. Flatten the dough slightly with your hands and dust the dough lightly with flour before rolling the dough out with a rolling pin. Start rolling at the center of the dough and work outwards. If you're a beginning pie-maker--or prefer easier clean-up--you can roll out the dough between sheets of waxed paper. See Photo 3

6. Working quickly, roll the dough into a circle ¼-inch thick or less. The size of the dough round should be about four inches wider in diameter than your pie pan. Use a dry pastry brush to sweep away any excess flour.

Photo 4

Gently fold the dough in half, and then into quarters. Carefully pick it up and place it into the pie plate so that the center point of dough is in the center of the pan.


Carefully unfold the dough: it should be centered in the pan. Without stretching the dough, press the pastry firmly into the pan and trim any excess dough from the edge.Leave a ¾-inch overhang to make a decorative fluted edge or trim it to a half-inch if you're adding a top crust. If the dough cracks a little during this process, press it back together with your fingers or patch the cracks with a bit of dough from the outer edges.


Once the pie is loaded with filling, unwrap the second ball of dough. Lattice tops, decorative top crusts made with cut-out shapes, braided edges and other artistic touches all make a pie stand out. To make a standard top crust, roll the dough out as explained above and lay it carefully over the pie. Tuck the edges of the top crust under the lower crust and press together lightly. Using the rim of the pie plate as a guide, create a fluted edge with your fingers or the back of a spoon. Cut vents with a sharp paring knife, or use a fork to prick a decorative pattern on the top crust. Brush the surface with egg wash or milk, if desired, and bake as directed.






Double Pie Crust Recipe:

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups All-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1/2 teaspoon Baking powder
• 1 Tablespoon Sugar
  
• 1 cup Shortening
• 1/2 Tablespoon Honey or apple Vinegar
  
• 1/3 to 1/2 cup Water [add 1 Tablespoon vinegar and then add water]
  

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, sugar and baking powder. Cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in water/ vinegar until mixture forms a ball. Divide dough in half, and shape into balls. Wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 20 minutes or overnight.
2. Roll out dough on a floured counter. Don't over work it. Use as directed in pie recipe.

Chef's Note:

If necessary, use a little less water than called for in recipe.