Aunt Nancys Flaky Pastry Crust Recipes

BASIC PIE & PASTRY CRUST + TIPS & TRICKS

Steps:

• Cut shortening into flour/salt until it looks like peas.
• Add very cold water all at once and quickly toss with a fork; shape into a ball being careful not to over knead.
• Divide dough in half and roll thin.
• This makes two single piecrusts or one double crust pie.
• TIPS AND TRICKS:.
• To avoid a soggy crust, try brushing the bottom of the crust with egg white before adding fruit; filling the shell *just* before baking also helps prevent sogginess; sogginess can also be caused from the oven temperature being too low or the time too short.
• For a flakier upper crust, brush lightly with cold water before popping in the oven; also keep ingredients and dough cold until baked.
• To prevent the crust from shrinking, avoid stretching the dough as you roll it and avoid stretching it when placed in the pie plate; allowing the pie shell to rest about 30 minutes before baking will also help prevent shrinking.
• Never shake the flour while placing in the measuring cup; instead, level it with the back of a knife.
• Toss ingredients with a fork, lightly and quickly, rather than stirring.
• Don't use too much water; about 1/2 c of iced water to 2 cups of flour.
• To prevent burning of the crust, try baking the pie in a large paper bag stapled closed, being sure that it doesn't touch any part of the oven; or use an oven- roasting bag.
• Try rolling some grated cheese into the dough when making an apple pie.
• Try adding toasted slivered almonds to piecrust that you intend to fill with a cream filling or cherry filling.

AUNT NANCY'S FLAKY PASTRY CRUST

Steps:

• Cut shortening into flour with a pastry blender or with two butter knives until it resembles a coarse meal.
• Add cold water gradually and mix until the flour/shortening comes together to form a ball that holds its shape and is not sticky. If necessary, add more water or flour.
• Divide ball in two, and roll each separately into a circle large enough to fit your pie pan.
• For a double crust filled pie, place one shell into pie pan. Add pie filling and top with other crust. Bake as directed on pie filling recipe.
• For 2 single crust pies, place each shell into 2 pie pans, add filling and bake as directed on pie filling recipe.
• For 2 single crust pre-baked shells, place each shell into a pie pan and bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes or until golden brown. Cool before filling.

GRANDMOTHER'S SUPER FLAKY PIE CRUST

Steps:

• preheat oven to 350 F degrees (Fahreinheit).
• pour flour into medium bowl, add margarine using pastry blender (or crisscrossing with knives) until lumps are slightly smaller than pea-size.
• Add water. mix gently with fork until dough comes away from the sides of bowl. (you may need more water) be very gentle, and try not to mix too much.
• transfer half of dough to a sheet of wax paper lightly sprinkled with flour. sprinkle a little flour onto top of pie dough.
• cover pie dough with another sheet of wax paper.
• roll out so the pie crust is level, and not too thick in one place, or too thin in another. (about 11 or 12 inches in diameter).
• peel off top layer of wax paper from dough, and place pie pan on top of dough. carefully slide your hand underneath bottom layer of wax paper, and flip.
• Then,carefully peel the wax paper from pie dough, and ease into pan.
• repeat steps 4-8 with other half of dough.
• Bake for 15 min, or so or until golden brown in color.
• Fill with any pie filling!

PAT-IN-THE-PAN PIE CRUST

Steps:

• Position rack in center of oven.
• Preheat to 400 deg F.
• Whisk flour and salt together in a bowl or process the mixture for 10 seconds in a food processor.
• Add butter; mash with back of fork or process until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
• Drizzle 2-3 tbsp cream over the top and stir or process till crumbs look damp and hold together when pinched.
• Transfer mixture to prepared 9-inch pie pan or 9.
• 5 or 10-inch two-piece tart pan.
• Pat evenly along bottom and sides with fingertips.
• If making a pie, form crust edge and crimp or flute with fingers.
• Prick bottom/sides with fork.
• Bake till crust is golden brown, 18-22 minutes, prcking bottom once or twice if it bubbles.
• If filling crust with uncooked mixture that requires further cooking, whisk together egg yolk and salt, then brush inside of crust with mixture.
• Return to oven until egg glaze sets, 1-2 minutes.

EASY, NO FAIL PASTRY CRUST

Steps:

• Measure the flour, salt, and sugar into a food processor.
• Add a few 1 Tbsp butter piece at a time, and pulse until coarsely chopped.
• Repeat until all butter has been incorporated. Don't pulse too much in between.
• Add a couple of tablespoons of water and pulse. Repeat until the dough is just forming little balls, and falls from the sides.
• Place half the mixture on a sheet of plastic wrap and squish the particles together until you form nice disc. Wrap the disc in the plastic wrap and refrigerate.
• KEY: Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before rolling out.
• Repeat with remaining dough.
• This recipe freezes well, so if you only need one 9in pie crust, you can save the other for next time. Just allow time for it to defrost naturally. Don't put in microwave.

FRENCH PASTRY PIE CRUST

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, salt, and sugar.
• Mix well, then cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse meal.
• In a small bowl, combine egg, vinegar, and 4 tablespoons of water.
• Whisk together, then add gradually to flour mixture, stirring with a fork.
• Mix until dough forms a ball.
• Add one more tablespoon of water if necessary.
• Allow dough to rest in refrigerator 10 minutes before rolling out.