Recipe #2 - Pie Crust

I always loved eating pies: blueberry, apple, pumpkin and rhubarb. My Mom made all these plus lemon meringue from scratch! So I followed in her footsteps and her successes with baking using her very same cookbook. Since I have been making pies for a while, I never thought it was exceptionally difficult. Time consuming, yes, and worth it. During one of our home study visits during the "paper chase" of the adoption, I offered homemade apple pie and our SW commented several times about the homemade flaky crust - my reward! The original recipe is from the Betty Crocker Picture Cook Book my Mom received as a wedding gift in 1955. And as the helpful Betty Crocker tips remind you, please always wash your hands before beginning and remember to take off all rings (placing them in a safe place away from sink drains, garbage disposals and waste basket areas!). Standard Pastry for Two-Crust Pie 2 Cups sifted flour 1 tsp. salt 2/3 Cup shortening (Crisco) ¼ Cup cold water Measure flour into mixing bowl and mix salt through it. With pastry cutter, cut in the shortening until shortening particles are the size of peas (you can use a fork and knife). Sprinkle with water, a Tablespoon (TBSP) at a time; mixing lightly with a fork until all the flour is moistened. Gather dough together with your fingers into a ball, so it cleans the bowl. Roll out onto floured wax paper or wrap tightly and keep in the refrigerator until needed. Divide dough into half. Use slightly larger half and flatten with hand, flipping to other side on floured paper. Roll out with a rolling pin to about 1/8" thick. Pinch broken, ragged edge together as you roll out. Roll until pastry is about 1" diameter larger than the 9" pie plate (place pie plate over circle of dough to make sure dough is large enough). Fold pastry in half and transfer to the pie plate, carefully. Unfold and ease the dough loosely in the pie plate, careful not to stretch. Prepare desired filling and place into pie plate. Roll out other half and transfer on top of the filling. Fold the top pastry edge under the lower pastry. Seal thoroughly by pressing together with fingers on edge of pie plate. Build a high stand-up fluted edge around pie pinching to make flute. Cover edge of piecrust with aluminum foil to prevent over browning. Remove foil for last 15 minutes of baking. Bake per pie recipe. Enjoy!!