Easy Pie Crust
NOTES:
1. Based on Jane's pie crust, this recipe was modified for Liz's version of a rustic apple galette.
2. Tip: when rolling out the dough, place it between two pieces of plastic wrap to keep it from sticking to the rolling pin.
3. Half an hour before starting, put a small bowl of water into the freezer to get cold.
4. Have a pastry cutter; baker's rolling pin (same diameter the whole length of it); beans or pie-crust weights.
5. If you want a bottom crust in something like a pot pie, plan to par-bake the bottom crust (see final steps in Preparation, below).
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup flour
1/3 cup vegetable shortening
1 Tbl cold but not frozen butter
1/4 tsp salt
4-5 Tbl ice water
PREPARATION:
1. Half an hour before starting to make the dough, put a ramekin of water in the freezer to get cold.
2. In a large bowl, mix the salt and flour together.
3. Cut shortening and butter into dry ingredients using a pastry dough blender until the dough is fairly coarse, with pieces about the size of small peas. (It's okay if some of the mixture is still more flour-like.)
4. Add ice water a tablespoon at a time, mixing with your hands, until the crust sticks together. The dough should be cohesive and a bit sticky and uncomfortable to hold. IMPORTANT: handle the dough as little as possible--the less you handle it, the flakier it will be.
5. If you want to make two smaller pie crusts, split the dough at this point and wrap and refrigerate half of it for later.
6. Form dough into a round disk about an inch or so thick. Place it between two sheets of oversized plastic wrap.
7. Roll the dough until it is about 1/8"-1/16" thick (Jeanne prefers the thinner dough), and about 1" bigger than the baking dish you'll be using. NOTE: Occasionally lift up the upper plastic wrap and gently replace it on the dough. This prevents the plastic from being rolled into the dough.
8. If you need a bottom crust for a pie or potpie, oven should be at 350; see below for par-baking. (NOTE: Turning the oven on now allows the dough's gluten to rest, helping create a more tender crust.)
9. Grease the baking dish you are using and carefully place the rolled out dough onto the dish, cutting away any excess and saving those bits to use decoratively later.
10. Feel free to crimp or pinch the edges of the dough.
11. To par-bake:
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup flour
1/3 cup vegetable shortening
1 Tbl cold but not frozen butter
1/4 tsp salt
4-5 Tbl ice water
PREPARATION:
1. Half an hour before starting to make the dough, put a ramekin of water in the freezer to get cold.
2. In a large bowl, mix the salt and flour together.
3. Cut shortening and butter into dry ingredients using a pastry dough blender until the dough is fairly coarse, with pieces about the size of small peas. (It's okay if some of the mixture is still more flour-like.)
4. Add ice water a tablespoon at a time, mixing with your hands, until the crust sticks together. The dough should be cohesive and a bit sticky and uncomfortable to hold. IMPORTANT: handle the dough as little as possible--the less you handle it, the flakier it will be.
5. If you want to make two smaller pie crusts, split the dough at this point and wrap and refrigerate half of it for later.
6. Form dough into a round disk about an inch or so thick. Place it between two sheets of oversized plastic wrap.
7. Roll the dough until it is about 1/8"-1/16" thick (Jeanne prefers the thinner dough), and about 1" bigger than the baking dish you'll be using. NOTE: Occasionally lift up the upper plastic wrap and gently replace it on the dough. This prevents the plastic from being rolled into the dough.
8. If you need a bottom crust for a pie or potpie, oven should be at 350; see below for par-baking. (NOTE: Turning the oven on now allows the dough's gluten to rest, helping create a more tender crust.)
9. Grease the baking dish you are using and carefully place the rolled out dough onto the dish, cutting away any excess and saving those bits to use decoratively later.
10. Feel free to crimp or pinch the edges of the dough.
11. To par-bake:
- Poke the bottom crust and sides with a fork to prevent bubbles, line with foil and weigh it down with dried beans or pie crust weights.
- Bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes. Remove foil and beans and bake another 5 minutes.
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