Tis The Season for good pie crusts

[down_home]

GrandMa and Mama made great pies big pies. They were a major part of most summer dinners and especially Thanksgiving, and Christmas.
My wife has got into the habbit for a very ling time of buying pet Ritz pie shells. I can tell the quality, the taaste have gone way down from what I rmemember but could never stand to the hihg are of pie crusta and pies of Mama's and Grand Ma's and I bet Great Graand Ma on her side. She Dutch.
Somewhere we have a Betty Crocker Cookbook where everything is made from scratch from the 30s. It was mama's home ed book. Green bound in tan and about four inches thick 11x14.
When I wass a teenager I baked bread and things out of it when there was no school, no one else around and schools closed.
So I nned the high art of pie pasty shells and tops to perfection. Good enough won;t cut it this year.
God any state fair winnders?

[magnusfide]

Saw on tv somewhere that a cooking show focused on pie making and they called it the Life of Pie.

There's plenty of youtuber vids on pies, bread making and specialty cooking techniques. Can almost make FoodNetwork obsolete.

?1-1/2 cup Crisco (vegetable Shortening)
?3 cups All-purpose Flour
?1 whole Egg
?5 Tablespoons Cold Water
?1 Tablespoon White Vinegar
?1 teaspoon Salt

This was Mom's recipe. She got it out of an old cookbook that belonged to Granny.

[SDPat]

I watch the Pioneer Woman and tried this recipe. First pie crust that I have made that was really flaky.


?1-1/2 cup Crisco (vegetable Shortening)
?3 cups All-purpose Flour
?1 whole Egg
?5 Tablespoons Cold Water
?1 Tablespoon White Vinegar
?1 teaspoon Salt

Preparation Instructions


In a large bowl, with a pastry cutter, gradually work the Crisco into the flour for about 3 or 4 minutes until it resembles a coarse meal. In a small bowl, beat an egg with a fork and then pour it into the flour/shortening mixture. Add 5 tablespoons of cold water, 1 tablespoon of white vinegar and 1 teaspoon of salt. Stir together gently until all of the ingredients are incorporated.

Separate the dough into thirds. ***Note: Separating it into thirds will result in three thin crusts. If you prefer a more substantial crust, separate it in half.*** Form 3 evenly sized balls of dough and place each dough into a large Ziploc bag. Using a rolling pin, slightly flatten each ball of dough (about ½ inch thick) to make rolling easier later. Seal the bags and place them in the freezer until you need them. (If you will be using it immediately it’s still a good idea to put in the freezer for about 15 to 20 minutes to chill.)

When you are ready to use the dough to make a crust, remove from the freezer and allow to thaw for 15 minutes. On a floured surface roll the dough, starting at the center and working your way out. (Sprinkle some flour over top of the dough if it’s a bit too moist.) If the dough is sticking to the countertop use a metal spatula and carefully scrape it up and flip it over and continue rolling until it’s about ½ inch larger in diameter than your pie pan.

With a spatula, lift the dough carefully from the surface of the counter into the pie pan. Gently press the dough against the corner of the pan. Go around the pie pan pinching and tucking the dough to make a clean edge.

[pianotuna]

Hi mitch,

Are you really trying to derail my weight loss program? SHAME lol

mitch5252 wrote:
At home, I made a batch, divided into two rounds, and frozen them. I then made chicken pot pie filling and baggie froze it into a flat.

At camp, I rolled out one dough round in a large baggie for the bottom. Filled with the defrosted filling and repeated the other dough ball for the top.

For baking, I used a small (6"?) glass pie tin. Made a "trivet" out of heavy duty tin foil for the bottom of a dutch oven to raise the tin off the bottom. Put in the pie and baked in my #8 DO.

Turned out really good EXCEPT - I couldn't easily remove the pie from the DO and broke off the ends of the crust - the best crunchy part! 😞

All-in-all, a definite keeper meal.

[xzyHollyxyz]

I recently heard about, and started experimenting with, hot water pastry crusts for savory pies. So far, pretty good!

At home, I made a batch, divided into two rounds, and frozen them. I then made chicken pot pie filling and baggie froze it into a flat.

At camp, I rolled out one dough round in a large baggie for the bottom. Filled with the defrosted filling and repeated the other dough ball for the top.

For baking, I used a small (6"?) glass pie tin. Made a "trivet" out of heavy duty tin foil for the bottom of a dutch oven to raise the tin off the bottom. Put in the pie and baked in my #8 DO.

Turned out really good EXCEPT - I couldn't easily remove the pie from the DO and broke off the ends of the crust - the best crunchy part! 😞

All-in-all, a definite keeper meal.

[Steve_B_]

I believe Shepherds Pie only has the potatoes on top. Adding a bottom crust would make it a pot pie, in my opinion.

[Super_Dave]

I've been contemplating a cross between pot pie and shepherds pie. Dough crust for the bottom and mashed potatoes for the top. Do shepherds pies have a bottom crust?

[Super_Dave]

There's a saying that goes something like this, "I only like 2 kinds of pie, hot pie and cold pie."

[NYCgrrl]

SWMO wrote:
If you want to have a flaky crust like moms and grandmas you have to bite the bullet and use lard. Truth is there isn't that much fat in a slice of pie. It probably isn't anymore than a lean hamburger, maybe less.

My Nana stopped using vegetable shortening and butter in her traditional style pie crust when they changed the Crisco formula in the '70's. Since she wasn't allowed to use lard due to a family member's health concerns, she started making Pillbury's crazy crust for her apple pie. It used less veggie shortening, required less hand work(arthritic hands)and was still gobbled down. She was happy for the learning but still longed for the flakiness and butter flavor.

[SWMO]

If you want to have a flaky crust like moms and grandmas you have to bite the bullet and use lard. Truth is there isn't that much fat in a slice of pie. It probably isn't anymore than a lean hamburger, maybe less.

[NYCgrrl]

Epicurious dedicated a week to making pie, IRL and on the 'net.
Here are the results:

Tips and Tricks to Making Pie

You'll find several links within the text.

[Texas_Roadrunn1]

I used to have a pie business and have always used the recipe on the Crisco can. I find that if the weather is dry, I use a little more ice water, usually 4 tablespoons, in total. I also keep the Crisco in the freezer so it is always cold. If possible, I let the dough rest the fridge for at least 30 minutes before rolling it out. If I don't have enough water, I will end up piecing it together. I always blind bake my crusts for 10 minutes then fill with fruit or filling which is to be baked. Of course cream pies need a completely baked shell before filling.

[Super_Dave]

SteveB, I started learning to bake when I was around 4 or 5 and watching my grandmother make crust. She would always save the trimmings and sprinkle them liberally with sugar & cinnamon before baking. I've all but forgotten about that tradition. Thanks for the reminder.

[Steve_B_]

The only recipe I use, love the crust!

2 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
3/4 cup Crisco (only Crisco will do)
5 - 6 Tbs. water

Blend the crisco into the flour and salt with a pastry blender until it almost holds together. Add water a tablespoon at a time until dough is smooth and holds together. This is all done by hand. Form into a ball. Divide in half for the two crusts. Pat each into a disc, press lightly on counter top where you will be rolling it, moving it around just to lay down a bit of a film from the dough, then flour the surface, lay the dough on the counter and flip, then roll out with a floured rolling pin. Doing this will prevent the dough from sticking to the counter. I always save the trimmings, reroll and fill a square with some jam and bake.

[Opie431]

Almost 70 years ago my mother had me making her pie crusts as hers never turned out the way she wanted them. As I grew older I knew it was because she tried for a good looking one piece shell and I just stuck the pieces together. Too much rolling made hers tough.
Husband remembers with fondness eating breakfast at Aunt Marys, always had pie for breakfast. Luckily for me all he wants is cereal which is gets himself.