Perfect Pie Crust Recipe:

Ingredients:

For a one-crust pie:

•1 3/4 cups of this homemade pastry mix*
•up to 6 Tablespoons cold water

For a two-crust pie:

•3 cups homemade pastry mix
•up to 8 Tablespoons cold water

* For homemade pastry mix, use the recipe here.
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Homemade Pastry Mix Recipe
makes 8-9 cups


Ingredients:•6 cups flour
•1 Tablespoon salt
•2 1/3 cup vegetable shortening

And later, when you use it to make dough:

•a small amount of very cold water

Preparation Instructions:


1. In a large bowl, mix the flour and salt.


2. Using a pastry cutter, cut in shortening until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. (See image above)


3. This pastry mix does not require refrigeration, but it may be a good idea in the summer. Store in a cold place.


Using the Homemade Pastry Mix:

You will need:

•A small quantity of very cold water.

4. When you are ready to use the mix, measure out however much you need and use a pastry cutter to break up any chunks that have formed.


5. Sprinkling only a very small amount of water at a time across the mix, use a fork to quickly and evenly mix the water in. Keep adding small amounts of water until the dough has just started to hold together into a ball. Take care not to use any more water than necessary, and do not mix the dough any more than necessary.


6. Use as you normally would for whatever pastry you are planning to make, following whatever recipe you have for baking times and temperatures. Here is a great pie crust recipe that uses this pastry mix. Enjoy!



Preparation Instructions:


Making the Dough:


1. Measure the appropriate amount of homemade pastry mix into a medium-sized mixing bowl.

2. Using a pastry cutter, break up any chunks that have formed in the mix until it once again resembles coarse meal. Be careful not to work the mix any more than you need to!


3. Sprinkling only a very small amount of water at a time across the mix, use a fork to quickly and evenly mix the water in. Keep adding small amounts of water until the dough has just started to hold together into a ball. Take care not to use any more water than necessary (you do not need to use the full amount), and do not mix the dough with the fork any more than necessary.


4. Lightly push the dough together into a slightly-flattened ball shape, and place it into a piece of saran wrap. (For a two-crust pie, divide the dough in two for this step and use two pieces of saran wrap).


Let it Rest:


5. Chill in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.

Rolling the Crust:


6. Spread a generous amount of flour over a wooden breadboard or other appropriate rolling surface. Flour your rolling pin.


7. Remove the dough from the refrigerator, unwrap it, and place it on the floured surface. Sprinkle a little flour over it.


8. Gently begin rolling with the rolling pin from the center out to the edges for each stroke. Move the pin's orientation to the dough frequently so that all sides roll out at an even rate, forming a circle. Be very careful as you reach the edge with the pin each time, making sure that the dough does not stick to the pin as you lift it. If the dough starts to crack apart, gently press it back together. Add flour to your rolling pin if it starts sticking to the dough. When your dough has reached about one eighth of an inch in thickness, stop rolling.