Best Pie crust recipes

[Rosalind]

1 stick butter (good butter, not margarine)
1 1/2 c. flour (pastry good, all-purpose OK)
1-2 tbsp. sugar (for sweet pies, obviously you'd skip for quiche)
1/2 tsp. salt
1 egg
water to make it stick together in a ball
Optional: Substitute 1/3 - 1/2 c. ground nuts for some of the flour.

Mix flour, sugar and salt in a bowl.
Soften butter till you can easily cut the flour in with a fork. Cut till it looks like crumbs.
Mix in one egg and just enough water (1 tbsp. or so) till it sticks in a ball.
Quickly work into a thick circle. Or make a round ball and whack it sorta flat. Put resulting circle of dough in an un-greased pie plate or tart pan.
Using the heel of your hand, starting in the center and working your way out, gradually flatten the crust into an appropriate thickness as evenly as you can. Trim ragged edges neatly. Fork the bottom thoroughly, put a layer of foil on top and put something kinda heavy in the foil (pie weights, dry beans, etc.). Bake @ 400F until edges look slightly toasty, about 15-20 minutes.

Allow the crust to cool before taking the foil and weights off. Otherwise, the more delicate patches of crust could get ripped.

 

[cjeanean]

1 c flour
1/2 to 1 stick butter
1/2 tsp salt
water

Mix salt and flour, then mix in butter. Butter should cause the flour/salt mix to be crumbly like cornmeal. When thoroughly mixed, add water till it's doughy. Turn out on a lightly floured surface and roll out, taking care that the crust doesn't get too thin and that you lift/rotate the crust periodically to ensure it doesn't stick. Sprinkling flour under the crust and on top of the crust may be necessary.

 

[backintime]

OK, you aren't going to believe me, but this is the EASIEST and BEST pie crust there is -- positively explodes with flakiness when your fork descends. My mother in law taught me to make it:

For an 8 or 9 inch pie crust:

Ingredients:
1 cup plus 2 tbsp. flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 Tablespoons cool or cold water

Blend flour and salt. Dump oil on top. Blend with spoon until there is no loose (dry) flour left.

Now add 2 Tablespoons of cool water. No more, no less. Stir. It will look like a gooey mess at first, but will SUDDENLY cling together in a ball! Gather it up, press gently together, and roll out between 2 sheets of wax paper. Lift off top sheet of wax paper, position crust over pan, and lift off second sheet. Done!

That's it! I was skeptical, but trust me, it's delicious, flaky, and NEVER fails!

If your wax paper slides around when you try to roll out the crust, put a few drops of water on the countertop before laying the wax paper down, and it will stick.

Don't double the recipe. If you need a top crust, make a second batch. It's so quick, you won't mind!

Good luck.

 

[bulldog-girl]

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Sounds great-can you freeze this recipe?

 

[sara]

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I have to agree with Angie here. I almost always use a ready prepared crust. It's just not something I have time for, and they are good.

 

[poussin_noir]

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I use the same recipe it's great!