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Single Pie Crust

Pie crust waiting to be crimped

This single pie crust is a favorite of mine for both sweet and savory dishes. It tastes good on fruit pies,fruit tarts, cream pies, and even chicken pie. When I am going to use a pie crust on something my first thought is to get the pie crust made first. If it is made first it has time to chill in the refrigerator until I am ready to roll it out.

Starting the pie crust

The first thing I do is cut up the shortening into small pieces, I use Crisco because I like the way it makes the crust nice and flaky. Then I cut the cutter into pieces and keep them both in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes.

In the meantime I mix up the flour and salt. I also get my water and add ice to it so it is nice and cold when I am ready to ad it to the mix. I also get my pastry board and pastry blender, this gives my shortening time to chill a little.

When I am ready I dump the shortening and butter into the flour mixture and mix it together with my pastry blender. When it all comes together and the shortening is in pieces covered with flour, it's done.

Now I just add the water to the mixture, just dump it in, and mix with a fork. When pretty well together just put it on the pastry board and press it together until you form a ball. When it is done flatten it into a disk, this will make it easier to roll out. Wrap it in plastic wrap and put in to the refrigerator till you are ready to use it.

This is a single pie crust so it is great for topping fruit tarts or savory pies, or for a crust for pies with a different type of topping. It is not enough crust for a full 2 crust pie.

Rolling out the dough

On a pastry board put some flour and spread it around so that the dough doesn't stick. Set the dough onto the middle of the board and flour your rolling pin. Start from the middle of the dough and roll out flat. If it starts to stick and some more flour and turn the dough when you roll it out. This seems to make it easier to form a circle. When I first rolled out pie dough I could never get it to form a true circle, I am better now.

Author: ourfantasticrecipes

Ingredients

Scale

1 ½ cups flour
¼ tsp. salt
½ cup shortening
2 T. butter
⅓ cup water

Instructions

In a bowl add the flour and salt, mix together.
Add ½ cup of shortening, I used Crisco, and 2 T. of butter.
Mix this together with a pastry blender until all of the shortening is coated with flour and forms little pieces.
Add the water and mix together with a fork.
Put it on a pastry board with a little flour on it. Lightly press the dough together into a ball and then flatten out.
Wrap it and put into the refrigerator for about 10 or 15 minutes.
Place dough onto the pastry board and roll out adding more flour if needed. Also put a little flour onto your rolling pin.