suemunzlinger's Recipe

Tom, from Stl Bread Co, Pie Crust

Category: Desserts

Makes enough for 1 double-crusted pie

Ingredients
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups pastry flour or all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons cold butter
1/4 cup cold shortening
4 to 6 tablespoons cold water

Directions

1. Mix the salt and flour together. Lay the butter on a cold surface and lightly roll it flat with a rolling pin. Add it to the flour mixture. Add the shortening. Work the butter and shortening into the dry ingredients with your fingers or a pastry blender to form walnut-size pieces.

2. Make a well and add the water. Mix with a fork until just combined. Do not overwork the dough. Divide the dough in half and form two disks. Secure them in plastic wrap, and refrigerate and relax the dough for 1 hour.

3. Unwrap each piece and on a floured surface roll it to the size of a pie pan. Brush off excess flour and fold the top, bottom, and sides of each disk inward a third of the way to the center. Refrigerate and relax the dough for 1 hour.

4. When ready to use, on a floured surface roll it to a size that is 1 inch bigger than a pie pan all around. Refrigerate the rolled out pie crusts on a baking sheet, placing plastic wrap between both crusts; use once it is cold.

If you want to make pastry flour,
Combine two tablespoons of cornstarch with slightly less than 1 cup of all purpose flour. Keep in mind when measuring any of these ingredients, make sure they are not packed (but are loosely grained) when being measured from the package. Also, always spoon the flour into the cup to maintain the loose texture – and never pack any type of flour into a pastry chef measuring utensil or spoon.

All purpose flour will work just fine, though.
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Tip

Cut rolled dough into ovals, add a scoop of filling, fold the dough over, pinch the edges closed, and cut small vents in the top to release moisture. These small hand-pies can be baked in a 375 degree oven on a cookie sheet for 15 to 17 minutes