Welcome to my kitchen!
I am so happy you stopped in! Let’s hop right to it and get started on making that elusive perfectly flaky pie crust. First, though, let me tell you about my newlywed Amish pie crust making fails. Oh my goodness. It was an art I was determined to conquer. Um, hello, I lived right next door to my mother in law, who along with her six talented daughters have cooking and baking down to a highly impressive art. They even have their very own cookbook. All 337 pages of delicious, wholesome, old fashioned recipes! I have maybe about five of my recipes in it, so it counts as partly mine. In all my youthful young married energy, I was determined to bake as well as Maynard’s mom. I can never say that I have reached all her achievements in the kitchen, but she taught me well while we lived at home on the farm, and I have made advancements towards my goals!
Pie crusts are an art.
Pie crusts was one of the monsters I almost gave up on. Let’s face it head on and not sugar coat it in any way, shape or form, they are an art that only becomes beautiful with practice. There were times I would have cheerfully smashed a window by hurling the rolling pin through it if I thought it would help. I had the fortune of marrying a man who was taught to eat what came before him. He has not complained or been picky in all our 25 years of married bliss. (sputter) It’s been good honey, but it ain’t been no bliss!
My mom’s recipe.
All this talk of Maynard’s mom, and this pie crust recipe is actually my mom’s. I grew up on the most amazing pies ever. My mom is a pie queen. So is Maynard’s mom, but I didn’t grow up on his mothers crusts, so I still favor this recipe above any one elses.
Let’s Talk About Flour
But why must we speak of flour? Well let me tell you why. Because people tell me all the time in great and wise tones of voices that they use all purpose flour for everything and their pie crusts couldn’t possibly be any flakier. Every great once in a terrible while I make the grave mistake to believe them and give it a try. Again. Because who wouldn’t want the ease of only buying all purpose flour and using only that for everything? No. This is not how to make pie. Unless of course you enjoy a heavy gunky crust resembling a tootsie roll stuck to dentures to whack around in your mouth for ten minutes before it comes to enough semblance of order to swallow. Ew! I hope I have learned my lesson and will not do this again. I use a pastry flour from my local bulk food store. Don’t have a local bulk food store? Don’t make pie! There! That was easy peasy! Ha! The one I use is called Flaky Crust Flour, or Pie and Pastry Flour. Go ahead and take my advice, you will be happy, happy, happy!
Let’s go!
Ready? Here we go…
| Prep Time | 1 Hour |
| Cook Time | 12 Minutes |
| Servings |
Single Crusts
|
- 5 cups Pie & Pastry Flour Or any other brand pastry flour.
- 2 cups Butter Flavor Crisco Can use plain crisco too, but butter flavor is best.
- 1 scant cup Water
- 1 TBSP Vinegar
- 1/2 teas Salt
Ingredients
|
|
- Put 5 cups flour and 1/2 tsp salt into a large bowl and mix lightly
- Cut in 2 cups crisco until it resembles the size of small peas. (No pictured>)
- Mix vinegar in one scant cup water, using only as much as needed! Adding a few Tablespoons at a time and rolling through your hands until dough sticks together.
- Form balls the size you need to fit your pans. My pans usually make 5 crusts with this recipe. We have mostly girls. We eat small.
- Roll out your dough to the thickness of your liking.
- Use plenty of flour so it doesn't drive you insane by sticking to everything. Pat it lovingly as I am doing here a few times. 🙂 Just kidding!
- This is about the size I roll mine out to so it fits in my 9 inch foil pan.
- Sprinkle a little tiny bit of flour in the bottom of the pan. This helps it not to stick once it's baked.
- Place into pan.
- Press the edges down with the rolling pin.
- Trim the edges off and then crimp.
- Prick along sides and bottom with a fork. This keeps it from rising like a 5 month pregnant belly!
- That's it! Pop into the oven, baking it at 400 for about 12 minutes. Wallah!
There you have it. The most delicious, flaky crust ever. Fill it with your favorite cream filling, or wait for me to post a recipe for Basic Cream Pie Filling, with variations and ideas. Enjoy!
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