Pastry For Double Crust Pie Recipes

Steps:

• Mix flour and salt in medium bowl. Cut in shortening, using pastry blender (or pulling 2 table knives through ingredients in opposite directions), until particles are size of small peas. Sprinkle with cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with fork until all flour is moistened and pastry almost leaves side of bowl (1 to 2 teaspoons more water can be added if necessary).
• Gather pastry into a ball. Divide in half and shape into 2 flattened rounds on lightly floured surface. Wrap flattened rounds of pastry in plastic wrap and refrigerate about 45 minutes or until dough is firm and cold, yet pliable. This allows the shortening to become slightly firm, which helps make the baked pastry more flaky. If refrigerated longer, let pastry soften slightly before rolling.
• Roll one round on lightly floured surface, using floured rolling pin, into circle 2 inches larger than upside-down 10-inch glass pie plate. Fold pastry into fourths; place in pie plate. Unfold and ease into plate, pressing firmly against bottom and side.

Steps:

• Whisk flour and salt together in a large bowl. Cut in the lard with a knife or pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle in water, 1 tablespoon at a time, blending gently with a fork or pastry blender until all flour is moistened and dough almost cleans the sides of the bowl. Divide the dough in half and shape flattened rounds. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Steps:

• Stir together flour and salt.
• Using a pastry blender, cut in shortening until pieces are pea size.
• Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the water over part of the mixture and gently toss with a fork. Push moistened dough to side of bowl. Repeat, using 1 tablespoon water at a time, until all the dough is moistened. Divide in half.
• To transfer pastry, wrap it around the rolling pin. Unroll into a 9 inch pie plate. Ease pastry into pie plate, being careful not to stretch pastry. Transfer filling to pastry-lined pie plate. Trim pastry even with rim of pie plate.
• Roll remaining dough into a circle about 12 inches in diameter. Cut slits to allow steam to escape. Place remaining pastry on filling; trim 1/2 inch beyond edge of plate. Fold top pastry under bottom pastry. Crimp edge as desired. Bake as directed in individual recipes.

Steps:

• Prepare to have the ice water handy by filling a Pyrex measuring cup with water and ice cubes. Set it by your work area, and let it get icy cold.
• Combine flour and salt in a medium bowl.
• With a pastry cutter (or two knives), cut the shortening in until the mixture resembles pea-sized crumbs.
• Take out the pastry cutter and, while stirring with a fork, add 1 Tablespoon ice cold water at a time until the dough is sticky and comes together. If the weather (or your kitchen) is warm/humid, less water will be needed. Be sure you have the consistency you want, because it's very difficult to add more water.
• Form half the dough into a ball with your hands, and flatten the ball into a 1/2" thickness, rounding the edges.
• Place the dough onto a lightly floured surface (you can place between sheets of wax or parchment paper, if that is easier), and roll into a 10" circle (roll with your wrists doing the work, not your shoulders. I saw that on a Bobby Flay - Pie Throwdown episode).
• Gently transfer to a 9" pie plate. Gently press the pastry down into the plate, being sure not to stretch or tear the dough. If it does tear a little, just take some off the edge, and "patch" it.
• Create a decorative edge around the top, and cut any extra crust off of the edge.
• Repeat for a second single-crust pie, or fill the bottom crust and top with the second half of this recipe for a double-crust pie.
• Blind bake the crusts or fill and bake as directed in your recipe.