Need good flaky pie crust recipe

[Tiggeroo]

I lost my pie crust recipe and the apples are just sitting here waiting. So who has a really good flaky pie crust recipe. I am picky and only like really good pie crust.
How do you do your apple pie?

 

[Tiggeroo]

I hope people aren't afraid to post a recipe because I said I was picky. LOL

 

[piratesmate]

I wasn't worried about you being picky - it's just that pie crust is the one thing I don't make from scratch. My grandmother wouldn't teach me how to make it because she could never get my mother to do it "right". I just use the ones in the dairy case. LOL Gram's wasn't really a recipe anyway - more of "just add x until it looks right"!

Keeping that in mind, I have a recipe, but I don't know for certain if it's flaky since I use the ready-to-use. It should be, though, from the ingredients & instructions . . . PLUS it's from the Mennonite Community Cookbook & they're known for their great pies!

Pastry for a 9" double crust pie

2 1/4 c flour
2/3 c shortening
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 c cold water
Combine flour & salt in a mixing bowl. Cut shortening into flour with a pastry blender or 2 knives. DO NOT OVERMIX!! These are sufficiently blended when the particles are the size of peas.
Add water gradually, sprinkling 1 tablespoon at a time over the mixture. Toss lightly with a fork until all particles of flour have been dampened. Use only enought water to hold the pastry together when it is pressed between the fingers. It should NOT feel wet. (This is the step that confounded my mother!)
Roll dough into a round ball, handling as little as possible. Roll out on a lightly floured board into a circle 1/8" thick and 1" larger than the diameter of the top of the pan.

I hope this helps!

Deb

 

[Mamu]

Tiggeroo one of my favorite pies.

<center>Pie Crust

2 cups flour
3/4 tsp. salt
2/3 cup shortening
5-6 tlbs orange juice

Mix flour and salt. Cut shortening into flour mixture until it resembles oatmeal. Mix orange juice with fork. Being careful not to overmix. Divide in two parts.

I roll my lightly flowered crust in between two pices of waxed paper.

After the pie is put together, instead of milk I brush the crust with beaten egg whites.

I recently purchased foil circles that fit over the edge of the crust. They are greatest invention they keep the edges from burning.

I also like to make a little extra crust. When making an apple pie, I cut out an apple, stem and leaf. Color it with food coloring and put it on top of the crust before baking. When finished you have a lovely decorated apple pie.

 

[piratesmate]

Mmmm - using OJ instead of water sounds really good! Thanks for the tip!

Deb

 

[Baboo]

If you just want 1 pie I use this one that is on the Crisco box.

2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 tsp. salt
1 cup Crisco
1 egg
2 Tbsp. cold water
1 Tbsp. vinegar
Combine flour and salt in mixing bowl Cut room temperature shortening into flour until mixture is uniform and shortening resembles small peas.
Beat egg, water and vinegar together to blend. Pour all of the liquid evenly over flour mixture. Stir with fork until all of mixture is moistened.
Divide dough in half and shape each into a ball. Flatten each into a circle about 4". Wrap and chill dough 15 minutes for easier rolling.

If you're making lots of pies try this one.

Foolproof Pastry

5-1/2 cups flour
1/2 Tbsp. salt
1 pound shortening
1 egg
2 Tbsp. vinegar
1 cup water (approx.)
Combine flour, salt and shortening as for pastry. Beat egg lightly, add vinegar and then add water to 1 cup level. Combine lightly, and then combine with flour mixture.

I use a rolling pin cover and a pastry cloth or two sheets of wax paper to make rolling out easier and so that I don't need as much flour.