Grandmas Great Depression Era Pie Crust Recipes

WATER PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 and set empty pie crust on a baking sheet.
• Pour 1 + 1/2 cups water into the pie crust.
• In a small bowl, stir together the flour and sugar. Sprinkle this mixture evenly over the water in the crust. Don't stir.
• Drizzle the vanilla over the water in the pie crust. Place pats of butter on top of this.
• Bake at 400 for 30 minutes. Reduce heat to 375 and cover sides of crust if needed to prevent burning. Continue cooking for an additional 30 minutes.
• Pie will be watery when you pull it out of the oven but will gel as it cools. Allow to cool completely and then cover and place in the fridge until chilled before cutting.

GRANDMA'S GREAT DEPRESSION ERA PIE CRUST

Steps:

• Sift flour and salt into a mixing bowl.
• Cut in half of the shortening with a pastry blender until the mixture resembles cornmeal.
• Cut in the remaining shortening with a pastry blender until the mixture resembles small peas.
• Sprinkle in the water 1 tablespoon at a time, gently tossing the mixture with a fork after each addition. (Do not be afraid to add more water or flour).
• Gather dough with hands and press into a ball. (For double crust divide into two balls).
• Roll out on floured surface and put into a pie pan.
• Bake according to whatever pie recipe you're using.
• NOTE: I have never pre-baked this pie crust, so I can offer no guidance on how that would work. Most generally I use this for pumpkin pies around Thanksgiving, and the crust is baked together with the pumpkin filling for 10 minutes at 425 degrees and then about an hour at 350 degrees. Use your own judgment for baking the crust.
• NOTE: To Double:.
• - 2 cups all purpose flour.
• - 1 teaspoon salt.
• - 3/4 cup shortening, divided in half.
• - 5 tablespoons COLD water.