Introduction
There’s an old adage that says the ‘most important element’ of a pie is the injustice crust and grandma’s pie. It seldom goes wrong. A delicious buttery, crisp crust that works for sweet or savory pies. It contains butter and shortening and keeps the mixture cool so that the flakiness is maintained. This recipe can be used by anyone – novice or expert as it is simple and can be used irrespective of what pie filling one decides to use. Now, when is the last time you made a pie crust? Let’s get to it so that we can make one that will charm everyone each time!
Ingredients
– Pastry flour: 3 cups
– Shortening: 1/2 cup
– Cold butter: 1/2 cup, cubed
– Ice-cold water: 1/2 cup
– White vinegar: 1 tablespoon
– Salt: 1 teaspoon
Instructions
Putting together the Dry Ingredients
In a larger mixing bowl, sieve in the flour and combine with the salt. This will be helpful in making the crust light and the mixture uniform.
Cutting the Fats into the Mixture
Pour the cold butter and shortening in to the mixture of flour. With a pastry cutter or your hands, blend in until it has the feeling of a coarse crumb. It is important to keep the fats cold to avoid consistencies.
Adding Huge Quantities of Liquid
In a small bowl, the very cold water and vinegar are blended. Little by little add this mixture to the flour and fat, mixing with a fork to bring the dough together. Don’t mix the products too much, instead mix just enough for a ball to form.
Dividing and Rolling Out
Divide the prepared dough in to two equal parts. On a floured board, take one half of the pastry and roll it out to about one-eighth an inch thin and slightly larger than the pie dish. Place the rolled out pastry in to the pie dish ensuring that the thick rim-edge hangs over the sides.
Putting the Pie together
When a single crips the pie is made, then the edges are cut and crimping done. In case of a double crusted pie, bring out the other portion of dough, roll it out and position it over your completed pie. Cut, then seam or pinch the edges to assist in sealing them together or use a fork.
Bake
Adhere closely to the directions given for baking the pie in your recipe. A pie should be baked in an oven at a temperature of 375-400F for 30-45 minutes depending on the type of pie filling used.
Serving and Storage Tips
Serving: After baking the pie, make sure to cool it off for about 30 minutes at least before you can cut into it. The pie is usually served warm with sprinkling of ice cream/cream on dessert pies while savory pies can be eaten ‘as is’;
Storage: Uncooked pie dough can be kept for 2 days maximum in the refrigerator if wrapped with plastic. The dough can also be stored in a freezer for about 4 weeks but should be thawed in the refrigerator for a whole night before use.
Tips for Success
Keep everything cold: For the crust to be flaky, it is necessary to ensure the butter and shortening used is ice cold. It is also possible to opt to freeze the empty flour and bowl since it is an extra measure against heating.
Don’t overwork the dough: Tough crusts result from overmixing that causes toughening of the final dish. The pieces should be mixed until they hold together.
Roll carefully: In order to prevent sticking, roll outwards from the centre and bring the dough and the pin round as well. There should not be a lot of flour used since it causes the dough to be too dry.
Conclusion
Grandma’s Pie Crust Recipe is the ultimate recipe you’d want to achieve in any pie you’ve ever dreamed of having all the flaky and buttery layers that can soften the classic apple pie, sink its depth in the pumpkin pie or even submerge the delicious chicken pot pie. Forthcoming very few lines elaborate how every step is simple and the ingredients relatively few and the outcome is always good. Once you know where the secret ingredients and methods are hiding, you will prepare very appetizing pies, perhaps even more than grandma. Excellent pie baking to you all!