Bill Hood's Mother’s Pie Crust Recipe

1-1/2 cups of sifted all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoonful of salt
1/2 cup Crisco
4 to 5 tablespoonfuls of cold milk

(For double crust use 2 cups flour, 1 teaspoonful salt, 2/3 cup Crisco
and 5 to 7 tablespoonfuls milk)

Cut shortening into flour until peas sized lumps. Use cold milk by tablespoonful pushing moistened flour to sides until all flour is moist, not sticky. Form into ball and roll out (I use a wooden roller) to size to fit pie plate. Trim around with about 1 inch overhang then fold under edges and form edge of crust with thumb and forefinger. If baking crust alone prick generously with fork, if baking with filling do not prick.

For lattice top I use the second half of the 2 crust proportions cut into 3/4 inch strips and weave them over the filling then moisten with water and sprinkle with sugar before baking.

Never Fail Pie Crust

4 cups all-purpose flour (lightly spooned in the cup when you measure it)
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup water
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 3/4 cup shortening (not lard or butter)
1 egg
1 Tablespoon vinegar

Mix all of the ingredients well and divide the dough into 5 balls. Flatten each ball slightly like a giant hamburger and wrap it in wax paper or parchment paper. Then refrigerate them until cold, if you're going to use them right away. Or freeze them if you're going to use them later. If you freeze them, make sure you put them in a freezer-safe bag.

This pie crust can be re-rolled and it won't get tough. If you freeze them, then you always have a pie crust on hand. When you want to roll one out, take it out of the freezer and let it thaw before you roll it.

Back to previous page . . .