Plain Pie-crust
Ingredients
Directions
The book says “a quick oven”. The 400°F (200°C) in the steps is the modern equivalent, not the book's own figure.
Prepare
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
Make the dough
In a bowl, mix the lard and flour together until well combined.
Add enough water to form a dough.
Roll out the dough into thin sheets.
Bake
Bake in the preheated oven until golden.
Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures.
Explore the science
What each ingredient does
- Lard
- Fat that coats flour particles and keeps layers separate, giving a tender, flaky texture.
- All-purpose flour
- Provides the structure, as its proteins and starch form the dough's framework.
The step that matters
Add enough water to form a dough.. Too much water lets gluten develop and makes the crust tough, while too little leaves the dough crumbly and hard to roll. Add it gradually and stop once the dough holds together.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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