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...Great for Apple Pie, Cherry Pie, Peach Pie, Pumpkin Pie, Pecan Pie, Chicken Pot Pie... you get the idea!
3 cups flour (slightly rounded)
1-1/2 cups butter-flavored shortening
1-1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup cold water
Work shortening into the flour and salt with your fingers, a large fork, or a pastry blender. When no trace of white flour shows, you've worked it enough. Make a hole in the center of mixture and add cold water. Work lightly with a spatula or wooden spoon until water is absorbed. Gather mixture into a moist ball. If you have too much water and dough is too gooey, be careful about adding more flour. You can lay a piece of paper towel over the pastry and the towel will absorb extra water. If dough is too dry, add a teaspoon of water and barely work it in until it is absorbed. Don't handle the dough too much or it will get tough. When rolling out the dough, dust a flour-sack style dishcloth lightly with flour. Roll your rolling pin through the flour. Too much flour will make the dough tough. Roll the dough almost as thinly as you can. It will thicken up and be flaky as it bakes. After rolling the dough into a big, thin circle, place it in the bottom of a pie dish. Then make your top crust in a similar fashion, rolling it into a big circle. Fold the top crust into fourths and make two or three slits in it, for steam to escape. Fill the pie with preferred filling and then lift the dish up and cut around the edges with a knife. We around the edges of the bottom crust with a wet finger and some water--this will act as the "glue" when you put the top crust on it. Place the top crust on and press the edges down to seal against the bottom crust. Cut around the edges again. Lift the edges and flute them, making a pretty, wavy crust-edge. Before baking pies, brush the top with a little milk and put on a sprinkle of dry sugar. Bake at 375 degrees on the bottom rack for 40-50 min until they look golden brown.
- For freezing pies: Instead of baking the pie, if you'd like to freeze it, merely wrap it in plastic wrap (a couple of layers) and then in tin foil. It can be frozen for 3-4 months. When you're ready to bake it, don't thaw it! Just take it out of the freezer, unwrap it, and put it on a cookie sheet. Put it in a pre-heated 400 degree oven (near bottom of oven) for 20 min. Then turn heat to 350 degrees and bake for another 40-50 min. until it is golden brown.
- Pies are always better if they are allowed to "set" for a while after baking before eating them.
- If the filling is too runny, fold in a Tablespoon or so of tapioca granules before filling the pie. It will thicken up during baking.
