Plain Pie-crust
makes enough for two piesIngredients
Directions
Sift the salt and baking powder through the flour.
Rub the dripping into the flour thoroughly.
Gradually add the cold water, moistening just enough to make the dough stick together.
Mix as little as possible to shape it for rolling out.
Handle the dough very lightly.
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
- Flour
- Forms the structure of the crust once mixed with liquid and fat.
- Dripping
- Coats flour particles to keep the crust tender and flaky rather than tough.
- Cold water
- Moistens the flour so the dough binds together without developing excess gluten.
- Baking powder
- Releases gas to lighten the crust slightly as it bakes.
The step that matters
Mix as little as possible. Overworking flour once water is added develops gluten, which makes the crust tough and shrinks it in the oven. Light handling keeps it short and tender.
“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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