The directions are rather detailed, but the results are great. The measurements are in the table at the end of this page.
- Sift flour, then measure. Sift it again with the salt and place in a large bowl.
- Cut in the fat with a pastry blender or two butter knives. Work until the particles are the size of small peas.
- Sprinkle a teaspoon of ice water on a small area and working with fork, work the water and flour together in that area. Repeat this around the bowl until all portions are dampened. Add only enough water to hold the dough together, and work quickly! You probably will not need to use all the water in the measurements.
- Shape dough into ball, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate. (You can work with the warm dough, but it’s harder to work with.)
- For a double-crust recipe, cut dough in slightly unequal halves, using larger half for bottom. If you’re making a lattice crust, you’ll actually want the larger amount of dough for the top: the dough needs to be rolled a wee bit thinner.
| One-Crust (9-inch) | Two-Crust (9-inch) | |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | 1 cup | 2 cups |
| Salt | ½ tsp | 1 tsp |
| Shortening (Crisco or lard) | ⅓ cup | ⅔ cup |
| Ice Water | 3 TBL | 6 TBL (just under ⅓ cup) |
I think that lard makes better pie crusts but not everyone will eat lard. If you want to make pie crust in a food processor, look for another recipe: this will work, but it just won’t be the same as taking the time to do it by hand.
From a recipe my sister received in college during her training to become a registered dietitian.