Pie Crust

I got a request for these pie recipes that go with the apple pie recipe I gave a long time ago and the cut file for the small individual pie boxes. I've loved this crust recipe for a LONG time. Recently my mom did pies for a young women's activity and she researched and tried a lot of different recipes and found that the ones just like this (with only slight variations) were the best and most loved. So without any more ado, here is the recipe for a great standard pie crust for a whole double crust pie or chicken pot pie.

Pie Crust

2 c flour
2/3 c plus 1 Tbsp cold shortening (can sub the 1 Tbsp with butter)
1 tsp salt
6 Tbsp ice water (approx)

Cut shortening into flour until like coarse cornmeal. Add water gradually. Mix lightly with a fork.

One hint here: don't be afraid of water. Be afraid of mixing too much. Some of the best pie crusts I've made have been just a little wetter than I thought they should be. I barely mix with a fork and make sure that as I put in the water, I am sprinkling it all over and I try not to get any one spot too wet.

Split dough in half. Put half of dough on floured wax paper. Sprinkle flour on top of the dough and cover with plastic wrap. With hands on top of the plastic wrap, form dough into a ball. Roll out dough from center to ends all around the circle, making sure not to roll too much. Keep the plastic wrap stuck to the pie crust and fold the dough in half. Fold dough in half again, removing the wax paper as you go, but keeping the plastic wrap adhered. Put the dough into the pie pan, using the plastic wrap to center and pull the dough to the right areas so the whole pan is covered.

(These steps will help you with a number of things. First, cleanup is a snap. Second when you roll out, the ball shape will help you create a better circle without as much waste and breaking of the ends. Third, it makes putting the dough into the pie pan easy peasy.)

Pour your pie filling into the crust. Top with a little butter for apple pie. Repeat dough steps for other half of the dough. Fold the top dough under the bottom dough and crimp to seal. Cut slits in middle of pie. I like to then brush with milk and sprinkle sugar on the top. I bake apple pie at 400 degrees for 50 minutes.

If you're making the little pies, here is the recipe I really liked for that:

Mini individual apple pies

Enjoy!!