By Pamela Rose Williams
Makes 1 – 9 inch pie crust
[Note: You must refrigerate this dough for at least 4 hours before rolling out]
Ingredients:
- 1 1/4 all purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt (if using salted butter reduce to only a pinch of salt)
- 1/2 cup of butter (NOT MARGARINE), chilled and cubed (this is equal to 1 stick or 1/4 pound of butter)
- 1/4 cup ice water
Place flour and salt into large bowl. Add butter and cut into flour with pastry cutter or knives. (a fork works too, my Mom used a fork and her pie crust was delicious). Cut the mixture until it looks like crumbs. Stir in ice water until the mixture forms a ball. Wrap it up in plastic and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or even overnight.
Rolling & Filling:
For a Baked pie (pumpkin, apple, peach, meat, etc.):
Throw about 1/8 to 1/4 cup of flour onto the surface where you will roll your dough. Flour your rolling pin and roll out the chilled dough for a 9″ pie until it is 1/4 inch thick and until it is 2 to 4 inches wider in diameter than your pie. (hint: sprinkle a little flour onto the dough if it sticks to the rolling ping and lift the edges of the dough from the surface as you roll to prevent sticking).
Move the crust onto the pie pan. Flute the edge of the crust so it looks pretty. I found a great little YouTube video that could help you with that below. Then fill it as per your pie recipe and bake.
For an Unbaked pie (banana cream, coconut cream, french silk, etc.):
Preheat oven at 400 degrees. Throw about 1/8 to 1/4 cup of flour onto the surface where you will roll your dough. Flour your rolling pin and roll out the chilled dough for a 9″ pie until it is 1/4 inch thick and until it is 2 to 4 inches wider in diameter than your pie. (hint: sprinkle a little flour onto the dough if it sticks to the rolling ping and lift the edges of the dough from the surface as you roll to prevent sticking). Move the crust onto the pie pan. Flute the edge of the crust so it looks pretty (see video above). Generously poke the sides and bottom of the pie shell with a fork to vent it.
Place the pie shell on a baking sheet and bake the shell for about 5 minutes at 4oo degrees until is golden brown. Remove the shell from the oven and cool completely before filling. Then fill pie shell as per your pie recipe and chill before serving if recommended.
