On 15/06/2012 2:18 PM, Kalmia wrote:

>
> I went thru a 5 lb. bag of flour one night trying to make decent crust
> - never again. So now I buy it, or make a graham cracker crust - but
> usually just don't make pies - period. Too many other dessert choices
> out there.

Sorry to hear that. I have never wasted a whole batch of dough. I have
always been in the habit of saving the trimmings with vague plans to do
something with them, but after a few weeks in the fridge I end up
throwing them out.

While my mother thinks that she taught me how to make pies when I was a
kid. I give the real credit to my older brother. I used to go there for
a beer or three in the afternoon and he always had rhubarb plants in the
yard, and in the spring months we would spend the afternoon making pies.
He showed me how to work the pastry and how to roll it out. With the
basics down pat I figured out some stuff on my own.

To tell you the truth, if you are doing it right it is easy.... easy as pie.

- measure two cups of flour into a mixing bowl and stir in 3/4 tsp. salt
..... sift it you feel you must, I don't.

- using pastry cutter or large fork, cut in 1 cup Crisco. You can also
use butter or lard. NOTE..... cut it only ot looks like coarse
cornmeal. You need pieces of shortening in there to melt out and make
it flaky.

- beat one egg and add 2 Tblsp. cold water and 1 Tblsp vinegar.

- stir the liquid to the flour and shortening mixture and mix until it
forms a clump. Divide the ball into two equal pieces, roll into balls,
flatten out slightly by hand, wrap them with plastic wrap or waxed paper
and shove them into the fridge for a few minutes while you prepare the
fruit.

- Take the dough discs out of the fridge, sprinkle some flour on the
rolling surface (I prefer a pastry cloth). Dust the top of the disc
generously with flour and dust your rolling pin.

-Start near the centre and roll out, then in the centre and roll it in
the opposite direction, turn the pin or the dough 90 and repeat, then
continue rolling out, rotating a few degrees each time so that it is
rolling out into an approximate circle and a little larger than you pie
pan.


- transfer your rolled pastry to the pan, making sure to allow it to
drop to the bottom of the pan.

- roll out the second pastry ball

- pour your fruit mixture into the pastry lined pan, transfer the second
piece to cover. Dab with bits of butter Run a sharp knife around the
outside lip of the pie pan then roll and crimp the top and bottom crust,
and poke some holes in the top to vent steam.

Bake