Pie Crust

Years ago, as a young mother I made a pie and the crust did not turn out very good....I told my grandmother and she asked what pie crust recipe I used? I told her the one from the Better Homes and Garden cookbook and she said ' oh that one doesn't work, here try this one' and she gave me this pie crust recipe I have used ever since. 20 years ago I worked as a baker in a restaurant making pies. We made 50 to 70 pies every day...and we used the same recipe as my grandmother, amazing.....it is fool proof....as easy to work with as playdoh...it is light and tender and flaky...you can't go wrong..

what you'll need to get started

flour
sugar
salt
shortening
vinegar
egg
water

measure the flour, sugar, salt in a large mixing bowl
and then add your shortening and blend with a pastry cutter until all cut up

It will look like a crumble, or small pea. Use your hands at this point and make sure it is all mixed thoroughly, you mix the beaten egg with the water and the vinegar, and stir it into the flour mixture.
When it is mixed you turn it out onto a floured board.

You cut the dough into two bigger pieces and one smaller one. (the recipe makes 2-2 crust pies and 1-1 crust pie) Take one piece and cut it in half again.

so you make the dough into a disk, then

The you use the side of your hand and sort of karate chop the disk (not to hard) 3 times one direction and then turn the disk a half turn and again karate chop across the other way. The reason for this is it helps to bring the dough together so that when you roll the dough there is less chance of it tearing apart.

roll the dough starting in the center of the crust and working out turning the dough as you go, like this

careful now, and use plenty of flour on the rolling pin and on the board...

When you are ready to put the pie crust in the pan roll it around the rolling pin like this and unroll it right into the pie plate.

You must mark the top crust of the pie,to vent it for air to escape

This is the mark, my mother put on the top of her pies. I asked her why and she said she just liked it. I have done it this way since I have been baking also...to me it looks like a family tree, our family tree. I wonder how many of my family does this same design? I would like to think future generations will coninue on with this beautiful legacy...

Vinegar Pie Crust

(as given to me by my grandmother)

4 cups of flour

1 3/4 cup of shortening

1 tablespoon of sugar

2 teaspoons of salt

1 tablespoon of vinegar

1 beaten egg

1/2 cup of cold water

Mix first four ingredients, then the next three in a cup and gradually add and slowly mix.

Please look for tomorrows entry we will make this wonderful crust into the most delicious Apple Pie!

Cheers to Happy !!