Basic Pie Crust

Makes enough for one 8-, 9-, or 10-inch double-crust or lattice top pie, or two 8-, 9-, or 10-inch single-crust pies.

Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit

Ingredients:

• 2 c. all-purpose flour
• 1 t. salt
• 2 T. sugar (for sweet pies)
• 2/3 c. shortening
• glass of ice water

Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl. Cut in shortening with a fork until the pieces are about the size of small peas. Add a bit of ice water to the mixture and stir gently.

Tips:

This is a 'dry' dough, so it should only take a few tablespoons of water to make it wet enough. I've found that when you're first adding the water, everything still looks quite dry. Check to see if it's wet enough by gently pushing all of the mixture together in a ball with your hands. If, when you do this it crumbles, it's still too dry. If it all sticks to your hands, it's too wet. You might add a little more flour if it's too wet.

Hints:

This dough should not be worked with much at all. The more you work and handle it, the tougher it gets.

To Bake:

Fit rolled out pie crust dough in the pie plate. Trim excess dough from around the edges leaving about a 1/2 inch to fold under or to create a fluted edge. If you are pre-baking the pie crust you will need to prick the crust with a fork before placing it in the oven. If you are making a double-crust or lattice-top pie, you won't need to prick it, though the top crust will need to be pricked or cut in a few places. For pre-baked crust, bake at 450 degrees Fahrenheit for 10-12 minutes or until slightly browned.

If the edge of the crust is browning too quickly, place a strip of foil around it, covering it.