Preparation / Directions:
*or a mixture of shortening and margarine
Sift together the flour, salt, then sift again. Cut in the lard or shortening using a pastry cutter. Add ice water a tablespoon at a time (about 3 tablespoons in all), stirring the dough around the bowl with a fork. As soon as it is moist enough to gather into a cohesive ball, wrap it in wax paper and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.
Handle the dough as little as possible. Roll it out on a floured surface to a thickness of 1/8-inch or less. Makes enough for a double crust for a 9- or 10-inch pie, or two single crusts.
If your recipe calls for a prebaked crust, prick the shell with a fork, bake in a preheated 350 oven for about 3 minutes, then remove and prick some more if it is puffing up. Return to the oven for 5 additional minutes before setting it on a rack to cool.
Pie Crust Tips:
For best results, refrigerate all ingredients prior to making the dough - even the flour.
Use pastry flour or all-purpose. Bread flour has too much gluten to make a tender crust, and cake flour is too soft to give the proper body.
Lard and shortening produce the most tender crusts. You may use half lard or shortening and half butter if you want the buttery flavor.
The pockets of fat make the flakiness in the crust. Use a pastry blender or 2 knives to cut in fat. For extra flakiness, blend half the fat in to the coarse-crumb stage, then blend the other half to pea-sized pieces. The body heat from your hands will soften the fat and toughen the dough, so handle it as little as possible.
All liquids should be ice-cold.
For a super-flaky crust substitute ice cold sour cream or heavy cream for the water.
Sugar in a pastry dough sweetens and tenderizes.
Blend liquid in just until the dough begins to hold together. Overworking toughens the dough.
Chill the dough for 30 minutes for easier rolling-out.
To prevent a soggy crust, refrigerate for 15 minutes before filling or seal by brushing with slightly beaten egg white, then refrigerate for 15 minutes.
Setting the pie pan on a metal baking sheet during baking also helps prevent soggy crusts.
Enhance the flavor of your dough by adding spices such as nutmeg, ginger, or cinnamon.
Meringue won't "weep" if you blend a teaspoon of cornstarch into the sugar before beating it into the egg whites.
Sprinkle toasted ground nuts or fine cookie crumbs over the dough and gently press them in before filling or bakin
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