Plain Pie Crust
Ingredients
Directions
The book says “a hot oven”. The 400°F (200°C) in the steps is the modern equivalent, not the book's own figure.
Make the dough
In a bowl, combine the pastry flour and salt.
Add the shortening and mix until crumbly.
Gradually add cold water until a dough forms.
On a floured surface, gently press the dough together and roll it out with a rolling pin.
Shape the crusts
Spread lard on the rolled dough.
Roll the dough into a log.
Cut off one-third of the log for the top crust.
Roll out the larger piece for the bottom crust.
Spread lard on the top crust.
Bake
Bake in a preheated oven at 400°F (200°C) 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
- Pastry flour
- Forms the main structure of the crust as its proteins and starch set.
- Shortening
- Coats flour particles to keep the crust tender and flaky rather than tough.
- Cold water
- Hydrates the flour just enough to bind the dough together.
The step that matters
Gradually add cold water until a dough forms. Adding water slowly and stopping once the dough holds together prevents a sticky, tough crust. Too much water or overworking the dough develops gluten, making the crust hard instead of 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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