Flaky Pie Crust

Makes 1-2 flaky pie crust shells

I love pie and I think a good crust is just so important. I asked my awesome pastry chef friend how he made his fabulous flaky pie crusts and this is the recipe he gave me. Its a traditional pie crust that is just perfectly flaky!

Ingredients:

2.5 cups flour

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup shortening (crisco works well)

1 stick butter (4 oz or 113 g)

1/3 cup cold water

couple pinches of flour

pie pan

rolling pin

rubber spatula or mixer

plastic wrap

Directions

Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add the shortening and butter to the dry ingredients. Then take a rubber spatula or electric mixer and fold the ingredients together until the consistency is of little crumbly balls. Add 1/3 cup cold water and continue to fold the mixture until the water is is just absorbed. The dough should basically form a ball on its own.

Split the dough in half and form two balls. Wrap each ball of dough separately in plastic wrap and and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Remove one ball of dough from the refrigerator and take off the plastic wrap. On a flat surface throw a pinch of flour down and place one ball of dough on it. Throw another pinch of flour on top of the dough. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out evenly, until thin or about 1/8 inch thick.

Place in a pie pan and cut the dough around the edge of the pan. This will be your bottom pie shell. MMmmmmMMMmm, now its ready to fill..

You can repeat the steps above with the other dough ball and make another flaky pie crust or you can top your pie and give it even more flaky goodness!

 

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