Pie Pastry

This is my favorite pastry recipe. It is easy to work with and it's useful in both deserts as well as main dishes.  This is a recipe my mother gave me.  I believe it originated with my grandmother. 

Basic Pastry
4 cups flour
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1 3/4 cups shortening
1 teaspoon vinegar
1 egg
1/2 cup cold water 

Combine the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl.  Add the remainder of the ingredients.  Attach a flat beater and blend on medium speed until combined into a workable dough.  Divide the pastry into 4 pieces.  Remember to weigh each piece if you can to assure uniformity.  Wrap each piece in wax paper and chill.
You can keep the pastry in the refrigerator for 2 days or freeze after placing in a Ziplock bag up to 2 months. As you can see this recipe allows for 4 single-crust or 2 double-crust pies.  At times I need a more substantial pastry so  I divide the pastry into 3 pieces.  This works particularly well for quiche. 

This pastry needs minimal additional flour for rolling out and allows reworking without destroying the integrity of  the pastry.

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