Homemade Pie Crust

Directions

1. 1Chill the shortening/butter and liquid in the freezer. Chilling prevents the flour and butter from forming a creamy consistency, rather than the crumbly consistency you need for pie dough.
2. 2Combine flour, salt and chilled butter with a pastry cutter. Blend the mixture until it is crumbled into pieces about the size of small peas. Slowly add chilled water one tablespoon at a time into the mix by stirring with a fork until the dough sticks together into small 1 inch sized clumps.
3. 3Remove the dough from the bowl and divide it into two portions. Slightly flatten each portion, wrap them in a plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes. This will make the dough more elastic and will give the crust a better texture when baked.
4. 4Remove one portion of the dough from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes. Remove the plastic wrap and place it on a dry, clean surface dusted with flour. Slightly flatten with your hands and begin to roll with the rolling pin to a ¼ inch thick circle. The dough circle should be wide enough to overlap your pie pan. Note: You can purchase rolling mats in most kitchen accessory or department stores that provide guides to fit various sized pie plates. They aren’t expensive and are a big help to the novice pie maker!
5. 5Carefully pick up the rolled out dough and place it in the pie pan. Gently press the pastry into the pan and trim off excess with a knife. You can pinch the dough edges for an attractive finish.
6. 6Load with the filling of your choice. Roll out the top part of the crust the same way as the bottom. Gently place over the filling, trim the excess and pinch around the edges. Score with a knife to allow heat to escape during baking. Don’t cut all the way through to the bottom of the pan!