Tips For Making Pastry
List of Ingredients
Handle pie dough no more than necessary. The less you handle it, the more fragile and flaky it will be.
In a medium bowl, stir together the flour and salt. Add the cold fat to the flour all at once.
Working quickly with a pastry blender or 2 knives, cut the fat into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse bread crumbs.
Sprinkle the water over the flour and, using a fork or wooden spoon bring the dough together with a few quick strokes.
If the dough is too dry or crumbly, sprinkle in a little more water and then stir it in.
With your hands knead the dough several times, just enough to form it into a ball.
If making crust for 2 pies, divide the dough into 2 equal pieces, if making a 2 crust pie, divide into 2 slightly unequal pieces, the larger piece
for the bottom crust.
Flatten the dough into a smooth disc, wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes.
Rolling out the dough: work quickly, keeping the dough as cold as possible. To prevent shrinking, give the dough some time in the
refrigerator, at least 20 minutes and up to an hour, before and after rolling. Chilling firms the fat, ensuring flakiness.
Remove the dough from the refrigerator 5 to 10 minutes before rolling, if after sitting the dough is still too hard to roll, work it gently
with your finger tips until it softens slightly. If making a double crust pie, roll out the larger piece first.
Sprinkle working surface with flour. Sprinkle a little flour over the top of the dough and rub some onto the rolling pin.
Working from center out, roll the dough into a circle lifting the edges occasionally to loosen them. To prevent sticking, add a little flour
underneath as you lift the dough. Occasionally between rolls lift the dough and give it a half turn.
The dough is big enough when it extends 2 inches beyond the edge of the pan.
Fold dough in half, fold again into quarters, place in pie pan and unfold, trim edges to 1 inch over hang.
Refrigerate at least 20 minutes before filling, covering with top crust and crimping.
Tip: To prevent dough from sticking to counter, use wax paper. Cut a large piece of paper and moisten 1 side of it with a damp sponge.
Stick the moistened side onto the counter.This keeps the wax paper from moving around.
Lightly flour the top of the paper and roll out the dough.
Tips: Use BUTTER for a crust with a delicate taste but a harder less fragile crust. Replace 1/3 to 1/2 of the butter with vegetable shortening for crisp and buttery.
Use Solid Vegetable Shortening for a crisp crust. Less fragile and easier to roll but has almost no flavor of it's own.
Use Lard for old fashioned melt in your mouth flakiness. Replace 1/3 to 1/2 vegetable shortening or butter for ease in handling and rolling.
Recipe
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