My experience with pie dough is that over processing it produces a tough pie
crust. I usually add a little more shortening than is called for to make it
tender. I hand cut it with a pastry blender (it has 8 stiff curled wires
mounted on a handle). The shortening is cut in until much of it is fine,
but a substantial amount is the size of small peas. I use butter flavored
Crisco and keep it cold. It must be handled deftly and not overworked. It
is then kneaded 3 times and rolled out paper thin. The crust sometimes a 2
crust traditional, but occasionally woven strips. To prevent burining, I
have learned to prepare the edge and shove it all in toward the middle and
down into the pie plate rather than to have it out on the rim.
Sincerely yours,
Edward Warren

"Melba's Jammin'" > wrote in message
...
> In article >,
> "Dr. Edward Warren" > wrote:
>
> > Make this apple pie. It is wonderful. Use Granny Smith apples. The
> > tratness is important for excellent flavor. Do not use any canned
filling
> > (ever). Make the pie crust very thin and very flakey by cutting in the
> > shortening and leaving pea sized chunks. Keep all of the crust
ingredients
> > cold and do not use a food processor for that.
>
> (Edward got snipped)
>
> Have you ever used a good processor for a pie crust, Edward? I believe
> CI has revised this recipe since its publication 12 years ago, but this
> is still the one I use. There are amounts for several size crust
> needs.
>
> { Exported from MasterCook Mac }
>
> The Best Pie Dough
>
> Recipe By: posted yet again to rf.cooking by Barb Schaller, 5-22-06
> Serving Size: 1
> Preparation Time: 0:00
> Categories: Desserts
>
> For 8- or 9-inch Single Crust
> 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
> 1/2 tsp. salt
> 1 Tbsp. sugar
> 6 Tbsp. chilled unsalted butter cut into 1/4²
> pieces
> 4 Tbsp. chilled all-vegetable shortening (Crisco)
> 3 Tbsp. ice water (3 to 4)
> For 10-inch regular or 9-inch deep dish
> single crust:
> 1 1/2 cups
> 1/2 tsp. salt
> 1 Tbsp. sugar
> 8 Tbsp. chilled unsalted butter cut into 1/4²
> pieces
> 4 Tbsp. chilled all-vegetable shortening (Crisco)
> 3 Tbsp. ice water (3 to 4)
> For 8- or 9-inch Double Crust
> 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
> 1 tsp. salt
> 2 Tbsp. sugar
> 11 Tbsp. chilled unsalted butter cut into 1/4²
> pieces
> 7 Tbsp. chilled all-vegetable shortening (Crisco)
> 4 Tbsp. ice water (4 to 5)
> For 10-inch Double Crust or 9-inch deep
> dish double crust
> 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
> 1 tsp. salt
> 2 Tbsp. sugar
> 13 Tbsp. chilled unsalted butter cut into 1/4²
> pieces
> 7 Tbsp. chilled all-vegetable shortening (Crisco)
> 4 Tbsp. ice water (4 to 5)
>
> Mix flour, salt and sugar in food processor fitted with steel blade.
> Scatter butter pieces over flour mixture, tossing to coat butter with a
> little of flour. Cut butter into flour with five 1-second pulses. Add
> shortening and continue cutting in until flour is pale yellow and
> resembles coarse cornmeal with butter bits no larger than small peas,
> about four more 1-second pulses. Turn mixture into medium bowl.
>
> Sprinkle 3 tablespoons of ice water over mixture. With blade of rubber
> spatula, use folding motion to mix. Press down on dough with broad side
> of spatula until dough sticks together, adding up to 1 tablespoon more
> ice water if dough will not come together. Shape dough into ball with
> your hands, then flatten into 4-inch-wide disc. Dust lightly with
> flour, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 30 minutes before rolling.
>
> For double crust pies, follow recipe appropriately, divide dough into 2
> balls, one slightly larger than the other, before shaping into discs.
> <<<<<
> Notes: Source: Page 8, Cook¹s Illustrated magazine, September/October
> 1994.
> --
> -Barb
> <http://jamlady.eboard.com> Updated 5/20/2006
> "If it's not worth doing to excess, it's not worth doing at all."

Dr. Edward Warren wrote:
> My experience with pie dough is that over processing it produces a tough pie
> crust. I usually add a little more shortening than is called for to make it
> tender. I hand cut it with a pastry blender (it has 8 stiff curled wires
> mounted on a handle). The shortening is cut in until much of it is fine,
> but a substantial amount is the size of small peas. I use butter flavored
> Crisco and keep it cold. It must be handled deftly and not overworked. It
> is then kneaded 3 times and rolled out paper thin. The crust sometimes a 2
> crust traditional, but occasionally woven strips. To prevent burining, I
> have learned to prepare the edge and shove it all in toward the middle and
> down into the pie plate rather than to have it out on the rim.
> Sincerely yours,
> Edward Warren
>


I've found that if you overwork your pie dough, you can often rescue it
by freezing it after you roll it out. (Freeze/thaw it before you roll
it out if you got it so tough it won't roll)

Best regards,
Bob