Directions: |
Directions:Measure flour into a bowl, adding and stirring in salt and sugar. (Some people insist on sifting the flour—I never do.) Use a pastry cutter (or two scissoring knives—the way mom taught me) to cut shortening into dough until clumps are the size of peas. Sprinkle the flour mixture with water, tossing lightly with a fork to evenly distribute it. (Some determine how much water to use “by the feel.” I always use ¼ cup.) Gather the dough up gently into a ball until it just holds together. (Mother always said: Too much handling makes tough crust.) Divide the dough approximately in two. Roll out between sheets of saran. (Usually takes two overlapping sheets on top and two overlapping sheets on bottom.) Can also use flattened plastic grocery bags. Roll out saran enveloped dough using a rolling pin or a quart jar into a circle large enough to cover bottom & sides of pie plate. Take off top saran sheet and center the crust, exposed surface down, in the pie plate, peeling off the remaining layer of saran when adjusted. Flute* the edges and cut off any residual dough** with a knife if making a one-crust pie and cover the edge with a 1 ½ to 2 inch strip of foil. Will need to tape together 3-4 strips to go completely around fluted edge; this strip can be stored and reused. If making a single crust pie to receive a cooked filling (e.g. chocolate), prick the crust and bake first before adding filling at 475 for 8-10 minutes. If making a single crust baked filling pie (e.g. pumpkin), bake per recommendations. Or, if making a two crust pie (e.g. huckleberry), add filling, center the second crust over the filling before fluting the joined edges and then cutoff any excess crust.* Make several bread knife 1 inch slits in the top crust before baking—slits can be patterned--in the form of the first letter or an image representing the kind of pie surrounded by a circle of slits. A light dusting of sugar may be added before putting into the oven. Bake per pie recommendations. |
Personal
Notes: |
Personal
Notes: Two must-have abilities to qualify as a good cook in the Roylance family: Must be able to make a good pie crust and must be able to make good gravy.
Of pie crust, Mom always said: It doesn’t have to look pretty, just taste good. Our family LOVES pies…It’s not unusual to have nearly as many pies as people at a holiday gathering. Everyone seems to have his or her FAVORITE. For Dad no holiday was complete without a couple of chocolate pies. The recipe used was on the large chocolate jello cook n serve pudding box--made using whole milk, of course and, when suitably chilled, always served topped by mounds of sweetened, vanilla flavored whipped cream.
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This recipe for Never Fail Pie Crust--2 crusts is from