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BEST PIE CRUST EVER !!

The holidays are QUICKLY approaching and we all will be making pies at one time or another.  Yes, you can buy ready made crusts, but they just are not as flaky and flavorful as a homemade crust.

This is BY FAR the best crust recipe I have ever made (and Ive made a billion or two). This recipe makes enough pie dough for THREE single crust pies.  It is VERY easy to work with and it has a little sugar and vanilla in it, so it has almost a sugar cookie flavor PLUS it is VERY flaky.




PIE CRUST

4 cups all purpose flour
1 3/4 cups BUTTER FLAVOR Crisco shortening
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup ice cold water

Cut the shortening into the flour with a pastry cutter (or a couple of forks) until the shortening is about half the size of a green pea (seeing small chunks of shortening in the dough is a GOOD thing). 

Mix the sugar, salt, egg, vanilla and ice water together, until well mixed, then add it all to the flour-shortening mixture. Work it with your hands until everything comes together in a big ball. Try to do this fairly quickly so that the heat of your hands doesnt melt the shortening. No need to chill this dough, but it handles better if you let it sit covered on the counter for 10-15 minutes before rolling out.

If you are making a single crust pie, roll out a bottom crust, on a floured counter,to fit a 9" pie pan (makes 3). Make sure you dock the pie crust...that just means poke holes in it, like this: 


Docking will help your pie crust lay flat as it bakes and you shouldnt get any big "bubbles". Some people use dry beans or raw rice in a foil "bag" to weigh down the pie crust and to keep it from bubbling up, but Ive never done that....your choice.

Bake at 375° for 15-20 minutes or until lightly golden, it should look like this:


If you are making a two crust pie, put the fruit filling into the bottom crust and then brush the edges of the crust with a little egg white that has a few drops of water whisked into it (this will help "glue" the bottom crust to the top crust).

Roll out a top crust, on a floured counter, and lay it over the filled bottom crust.  Cut off the extra dough that hangs over the rim of the pie plate. Pinch the top and bottom crust edges together (or use a fork). 

After you have pinched the two crusts together, brush the top pie crust with more of the egg white wash (the same that you used to "glue" the edges ) and then sprinkle the whole surface, lightly, with granulated sugar.

Cut several small vent holes in the top crust.  Bake in 375° preheated oven for 35 to 45 minutes or until the crust is golden brown (I usually leave it in for 45 minutes).

COOL PIE COMPLETELY BEFORE CUTTING if you want "perfect" slices. If you dont care if your slices are picture perfect, GO FOR IT, theres nothing like warm pie and ice cream.


NOTE:  You can probably use butter instead of shortening, although I have never done it and I have no clue what the result would be.

NOTE: Some people freak out about using shortening, however, shortening is vegetable based and has less calories and cholesterol than butter (plus it "bakes better").