best dessert recipes: My Mother's Pie Crust

My Mother's Pie Crust

Today I am making my Mother's Pie Crust recipe, and this post is especially for Cindy, a very sweet blog follower. Cindy has made some kind comments on several of my posts, and she told me that she is working on her pie crust skills. So, I got to thinking about my mother and her pie crust. Probably there is no one who has made more pies than my mother. She whips them up 3 or 4 at a time, and she tries to make sure she has one of everyone's favorite. It's apple for Philip, chocolate for Julie, and so on down the line until she's made the whole family happy. If you tried to find a number for how many pies Mother has baked in her lifetime, it would have to be one of those incomprehensible mathematical terms like infinity.

I have posted about pie crust previously. The last pie crust recipe I used was made with a higher ratio of shortening to flour plus an egg, and it is very tasty, but it is a delicate crust and must be chilled before rolling out. It is also easy to tear and can be frustrating unless you have a good deal of experience in putting together pies. But mother's crust is made with less shortening, is sturdier, easier to handle, and doesn't have to be chilled before rolling. I think this will be the perfect recipe for Cindy, or anyone, to use to practice those pie crust skills.

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My Mother's Pie Crust

2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup vegetable shortening (Crisco)

5 or 6 tablespoons very cold water

1 tablespoon vinegar

In a medium bowl, combine flour and salt. Add shortening and use a pastry cutter to combine with the flour. Stir in water and vinegar. Divide dough into two equal parts. Dough can be used to make 2 single crusts or 1 double crust. Roll out on a floured surface to desired size. Place in pie plate. For a single crust, bake in a preheated 450 degree F oven for 10 - 12 minutes or until browned.