Pastry for Double-Crust Pie

Pastry for Double-Crust Pie

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 tsp. salt

2/3 c. shortening

8 to 10 TBS. cold water

1. In a medium bowl stir together flour and salt. Using a pastry blender (or in my case, a fork), cut in shortening until pieces are pea-sized.

2. Sprinkle 1 TBS of the cold water over part of the flour mixture; gently toss with a fork. Push moistened dough to side of bowl. Repeat, using 1 TBS water at a time, until all the flour mixture is moistened. Divide in half; form each half into a ball.

3. On a lightly floured surface, use your hands to slightly flatten 1 dough ball. Roll dough from center to edges into a circle 12 inches in diameter. (I rolled my dough out between pieces of wax paper for an easier clean up)

4. To transfer pastry, wrap it around the rolling pin; unroll into a 9-inch pie plate (Because I used wax paper, I just peeled the paper off one side of the dough and then slid my hand under the paper with dough still on it, and lifted it up, and flipped in dough side down in the pie plate. I then gently pressed the dough into the edges and bottom of the pan, before removing the wax paper). Ease pastry into pie plate without stretching it. Trim pastry even with rim of pie plate. Transfer filling to pastry-lined pie plate.

5. Roll remaining dough ball into a circle about 12 inches in diameter. Cut slits to allow steam to escape (I cut a pretty design in the center). Place pastry on filling; trim to 1/2 inch beyond edge of plate. Fold top pastry under bottom pastry. Crimp edge as desired. Bake as directed in individual recipe.

Pastry Pointers

(From Better Homes and Gardens)

· Measure your ingredients accurately. Too much flour makes pastry tough, too much shortening makes it crumble, and too much water makes it tough.

· Stir together the flour and salt, then cut in shortening until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. If you overwork the mixture, your pastry will not be flaky.

· Add water gradually to the flour mixture, and then gently toss it together just until it’s evenly moist.

· To roll out dough with little sticking, use a rolling pin with a cotton knit cover and a pastry cloth. Light flour both the rolling pin cover and pastry cloth.

· Roll pastry to an even thickness. Try not to stretch it as you’re transferring it to the pie plate.

· Use a glass pie plate or dull metal pie pan so the pastry browns evenly.

· Check that your oven temperature is accurate. If it’s too low, the boom crust will be soggy.