Grandmothers Pie Crust

Lee, my sister, sez, "This is how our grandmother taught me to make pies."


Grandmothers Pie Crust
-crust for a single 9” pie, top & bottom

2 cups flour
2/3 cup shortening
5 to 7 TBS cold water
1/4 tsp salt

Stir together flour and salt, cut in shortening with pastry cutter until mixture are the size of small peas.
Sprinkle 1 TBS. water over dry mixture; work with a fork pushing water through. Repeat a tablespoon at a time, till all the dough is moistened and can be formed into a ball. Divide in half. Place half dough on lightly floured wax paper; on a hard surface, roll dough into a 12-inch circle. Sprinkle lightly with flour and fold dough into half and then again. Slide off paper and place in a 9 inch pie pan. Unfold dough and press lightly into pie pan, be careful not to stretch pastry. Trim pastry to 1/2 inch beyond pie pan

Fluted Pie Crust Bottom - Fold the extra pastry under, even with rim of pan; to build an edge. Using your left thumb push edge outward from inside pie crust and then press your right thumb and index finger around left thumb and dough; continue to flute edges of pie. - Bake as directed in individual recipes.

Pie Crust Top - Place remaining half of dough on lightly floured wax paper; on a hard surface, roll dough into a 12-inch circle. Sprinkle lightly with flour and fold dough into half and then again. Slide off paper and place on top of pie filling. Trim pastry to ½ inch beyond pie pan. Lift the bottom edge of pastry under the top, even with pie pan’s rim, build up the edge. Flute as above for fluted pie crust. 

Hint: To measure shortening - in a one cup container, place 1/3 cup water, spoon in shortening and press down on bottom until water line measures one cup. Pour off water and scoop out shortening.