Pie Crust Recipe and Tips

Making a pie can be intimidating, but with a little practice you can do it!  One of my more crazy ideas was to teach the 12 and 13 year old girls in my church how to make a pie crust.  But I'm proud, and relieved to say it was a success!  Each girl went home with a pie crust baked and ready to fill and a package of pudding to fill it with.  They were thrilled!  If they can do it, so can you. 

You can use your favorite pie crust recipe (if you have one.)  I get excited every time I teach someone how to roll a pie crust out between layers of plastic wrap.  You don't get flour all over the counter and clean up is easy!

Makes a single crust for 9 inch pie plate:

1 1/2 cup all purpose flour

½ cup butter flavored Crisco chilled
½ teaspoon salt
3 - 4 tablespoons cold water

"Fluff" flour in canister with large spoon or whisk before measuring flour.  (I don't think anyone sifts flour any more but I do suggest you do "fluff" your flour when making a pie.  It just takes a second.)
Put some ice cubes in some water, you want cold water.

In a large bowl combine 1 1/2 cup flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt.  Drop 1/2 cup chilled Crisco into flour.  I buy the Crisco Baking Sticks and keep them stored in the refrigerator.  I only use them for pies.  You can use regular Crisco but I would chill 1/2 cup before starting.

Cut Crisco with butter knife four or five times. 
 

 

With clean hands, pinch Crisco into flour.  You can use a pastry blender if you'd rather. 

Keep pinching till all the flour is mixed in.

 

Sprinkle one tablespoon of cold water over dough.  Toss with fork till the water is absorbed, do not over mix. 

Repeat till you have added 3 tablespoons water. 

Gently form dough into a ball.  If dough won't form a ball, sprinkle another tablespoon of water over dough.

Get your hand wet and dampened counter.  I know it's hard to see but I don't want you to forget this step, it keeps the plastic wrap from sliding around.  (I really wish I had nice, granite counter tops.)

Lay 2 pieces of plastic wrap over lapping in the center on dampened counter.  (Hard to take pictures.)

Place dough in middle of plastic wrap, flatten slightly. 

Place another sheet of plastic wrap over dough. 

Roll till crust is big enough to fit pie plate.  Roll gently from the center out to the edge.   To check that the crust will fit pie plate, place pie plate upside down on crust.  Crust should be one inch bigger  all the way around. 

If you need to you can take dough from one edge to add to another.

 Use plastic wrap to gently fold crust in half. 

Remove plastic wrap from top half. 

Gently lift crust into pie plate, with uncovered dough side down. 

Remove the other half of plastic wrap. 

Use the plastic wrap to help gently unfold crust. 

Fit crust to pie plate by lifting the edge of dough and lightly pressing dough into bottom edge of the sides of pie plate.  Do this all the way around the pie plate.  Remove second piece of plastic wrap.

Trim crust ¼ to ½ inch larger than pie plate.

Fold under edge.

Flute edge. 

If filling and crust are baked together use filling recipe for baking time and temperature. Such as a pumpkin pie.   If baking the crust empty prick bottom and sides well with fork.  Bake at 450 for 12 minutes or till lightly golden.   

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Apple Galette

Simply Sweet Sunday

I so delight in a flaky crust, and an apple galette is just the way to show one off.  A flaky crust wrapped around sweet apples and cinnamon.  What more can your taste buds ask for?  With a galette you don't need a pie plate or fuss about how the edges look.

3-4 Golden Delicious apples peeled and sliced thinly (4 cups)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 cup sugar plus 1 tablespoon to sprinkle on top
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon milk
1 tablespoon chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
1 tablespoon apricot preserves melted (optional)
1 uncooked pie crust (recipe and tips here)

Combine apples with lemon juice in medium sized bowl, toss to coat apples.  In small bowl combine 1/4 cup sugar, flour and cinnamon.  Stir sugar mixture into apples.  On a dampened counter lay 2 pieces of plastic wrap over lapping in the center.  Place dough in middle of plastic wrap, flatten slightly.  Place another sheet of plastic wrap over dough.  Roll crust into a 12 x 14 circle.  Use plastic wrap to gently fold crust in half, remove plastic wrap from top half.  Lift crust onto ungreased baking sheet, with uncovered dough side down.  Remove the other half of plastic wrap.  Gently unfold crust.  Remove second piece of plastic wrap.  For pictures that show these steps but with a pie plate look here.  Heat oven to 400 degrease.  Mound apple filling onto the center of the crust, leaving 2 1/2 inch edge empty.  Dot apples with butter.  Sprinkle with nuts if using.

Fold uncovered crust up onto the apples, working around galette.  Brush top of pastry with milk.  Sprinkle with one tablespoon sugar.  With paper towel wipe off the milk and sugar that gets on baking sheet, because it will burn. 

Bake for 40 minutes or till crust is golden.  Brush top with melted apricot preserves if using.  Serve warm, we like vanilla ice cream with apple desserts. 
Enjoy every bite.

      
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Italian Zucchini Quiche

I really like quiche, I think it's the combination of egg and pastry, that I enjoy.  We have made this recipe at the pie classes we teach and everyone has been surprised how much they like the quiche.  It's a great way to use zucchini.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter
3-4 cups zucchini
3/4 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon parsley or 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
1/4 teaspoon basil or 3 leaves fresh basil chopped
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
3 eggs
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 uncooked pie crust

Saute zucchini and onion in butter until tender.  Add parsley, basil, oregano, and garlic powder cook
an additional 2 minutes.  In bowl beat eggs with fork, add salt, pepper and cheese.  Combine egg and zucchini mixture.  Pour into 9 inch pie crust.  Bake at 375 for 25 minutes or until knife comes out clean.  Serve warm.  Top with thin slice of tomato when in season.

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Lemon Meringue Pie

Simply Sweet Sundays
 
A homemade (even the pie crust) Lemon Meringue Pie is a gift of love.  Here at Many Many Hats we usually aim for fast and easy but sometimes you want to make something special.  A Lemon Meringue Pie is a delight to the taste buds, tangy lemon, sweet meringue and flaky crust.  My mouth is begging for a taste.  A meringue pie makes a big impression, sooo if you want to impress, this should do the trick.  This recipe is from the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook. I got mine as a wedding gift 32 years ago.  Back then we used and used our cookbooks, now we use the Internet to find new recipes.

Ingredients:

9 inch baked pie crust, cooled
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour (I use unbleached)
1 1/2 cups water
3 slightly beaten egg yolks
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 - 2 teaspoons finely shredded lemon peel
1/3 cup lemon juice

 Directions:

Before you start, prepare all of the ingredients.  Separate egg yolks from egg whites.  Be sure not to get any yolk in the whites, (the egg whites are used in the meringue.)  Beat yolks with a fork.  Measure butter.  Shred lemon peel.  Juice lemon, if there's not 1/3 cup of juice I add some bottled lemon juice, or you could use 2 lemons. 

In a heavy medium saucepan stir together the 1-1/2 cups sugar, the cornstarch, and flour; gradually stir in water. Bring to boiling, stirring constantly. Reduce heat; cook and stir over medium heat for 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Gradually stir about 1 cup of the hot mixture into beaten egg yolks; pour yolk mixture into remaining hot mixture in saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil; cook for 2 minutes more, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in butter and shredded lemon peel. Slowly stir in 1/3 cup lemon juice. Keep filling warm while preparing the meringue.

Meringue:

Ingredients:

3 egg whites
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 tablespoon water
6 tablespoons sugar

For meringue, in a large mixing bowl (use a glass or metal bowl, not plastic) beat egg whites, vanilla, cream of tartar, and water with an electric mixer on medium speed about 1 minute or until soft peaks form. Add sugar 1 tablespoon at a time, beating on high speed about 4 minutes or until stiff peaks form and sugar dissolves. Pour warm filling into cooled crust. Immediately spread meringue over filling, carefully sealing to edge of crust to prevent shrinkage. Bake in a 350 degree F. oven for 10 -12 minutes. Cool on rack for 1 hour. Chill 3 to 6 hours before serving. Makes 8 servings.

Tip: To keep bottom of pie crust flaky, sprinkle a tablespoon of powdered sugar in bottom of baked and cooled pie crust before pouring in lemon filling.
 
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Tip: When cutting pieces of meringue pie, dip sharp knife in very warm water and it will easily slide through meringue.

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