Directions: |
Directions:The secret is gentle handling, and NO stirring or re-rolling.
Cut shortening into dry ingredients with hand held pastry blender until pieces are size of peas. Add cold water, little by little, fluffing it in by sliding a fork down the side of the bowl and turning it over. Never stir or it gets tough. It usually takes a little less water than it did shortening.
Prepare your rolling surface (wax paper) by putting a couple of tablespoons of flour on the paper and spreading it around.
Take half the dough in your floured hands and form it into a ball. Then flatten the ball and put it on the wax paper. Sprinkle a little flour onto the dough and put a second sheet of wax paper on top. Roll the dough from the middle to the edge, rotating it to get in all directions. As soon as the dough doesn't spread out easily, take the top wax paper off, and sprinkle a little flour on it and spread it with your hand. Then put the top wax paper on, pick up the whole thing and flip it. Take the top paper off, flour it and put paper back on and repeat rolling. You may have to flour and flip it 3 or 4 times to get it to spread out, without sticking to the wax paper.
When you get it big enough, take off the top paper. Put your pie pan next to the dough and flip it into the pan by holding onto the bottom paper. Carefully peel the last paper off dough, then lift the dough gently, so it slides down into the pan. Never push the dough into the pan, because stretching it more will break it and make it uneven thickness.
If this is a 2 crust pie, trim the dough even with the outside edge of the pan and put the dough back in the bowl with the 2nd crust's dough.
Make the 2nd curst, using 2 new sheets of wax paper. You may need to add a few sprinkles of water to the dough in the bowl in the bowl, if it is too dry to stick together and be rolled.
Flip the 2nd crust onto the filled pie.
Lift the edges of the bottom crust, and tuck the top crust down the sides of the pie pan. Then go around the top edge with your fingers (thumb and middle finger bunch the crust up, 2nd finger pushes it down a little to seal edge) or seal it any way you can.
Cut a few slits in the top or gently push a sharp cookie cutter into the top to make a cute design.
Sprinkle the top with a few pinches of sugar.
Bake as recipe says.
Single Crust Pie
Usually for custard or pumpkin pies. Trim crust larger than the edge of the pan, fold it under, then make the edge design with you fingers. Pour in the filling and bake as directed.
Baked Pie Crust
Usually for cream pies. Use a fork to poke holes in the sides and bottom of the crust, so no air bubbles can form. Bake a 475º for 8-10 minutes. Cool crust before adding cooled filling.
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