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A few thoughts on pie
Published: 6/18/2007 3:28 PM
Last Modified: 6/18/2007 3:28 PM

Don't be scared of pie crust.

For hundreds of years, women made pies without food processors, pastry cutters, marble rolling pins or nonstick Silpat mats. They didn't bother refrigerating all of their ingredients before mixing, and they sure didn't put their shortening/lard/butter in the freezer first.

Read any magazine article or watch any cooking show today and you would think you couldn't make a pie without doing these things. Don't get me wrong. Some of these tips are really helpful, and are the keys to perfect, flaky crusts.

But perfection is too high a standard for me. If I remember to stick the shortening in the refrigerator or freezer for a few minutes, then great. If I don't, we will still eat pie.

Bon Appetit's July issue includes a recipe for "The Best-Ever Pie Crust." I made a couple of pies this weekend using that recipe's proportions of butter, shortening, flour, sugar, salt and ice water. But I didn't follow the instructions to a T.

I didn't give my dough the recommended rest period. I didn't use a food processor. I probably handled the dough too much. But you know what? It made a really good pie.

I remember Martha Stewart once saying that you should repeat the mantra "light and flaky, light and flaky" while rolling out the dough. I don't believe any pioneer woman ever repeated any pie mantras. And I bet her pies were as good as Martha's.

Here is the Bon Appetit recipe, with my own adapted instructions.

Best-Ever Pie Crust
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 cup chilled vegetable shortening, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
5 tablespoons (or more) ice water
1. Blend flour, sugar and salt in a bowl. Add butter and shortening. Rub the butter and shortening into the flour with your fingertips. Rub until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
2. Add 5 tablespoons ice water, and mix with a fork. Dough should begin to come together. If not, add more water by teaspoonfuls until it comes together when you pinch it.
3. Gather dough together. Divide in half, and flatten each half into disk. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 hour if you have time.
Note: Can be made 3 days ahead, and kept refrigerated. Or, freeze, and then defrost in the refrigerator before using.

Reader Comments

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A Natalie Fan (6 years ago)

I have never been able to imitate my Mother's pie crust. I don't know that she ever followed any recipe other than the one in her head. When we can talk her into making one today, it is still as great as ever. My favorite memory surrounding pie crusts is the sound of her (Mom's) ring clinking against a jelly jar as she rolled out the dough...and, of course, making some yummy treats using the left-over strips of dough sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar.

A Natalie Fan (6 years ago)

Jay & Cathy (6 years ago)

I’ve always been intimidated by pie crust until my friend Beth showed me how to make her father’s recipe. It’s as easy as pie (ha). Now I am able to make very good, flaky pie crusts. The secret ingredient is olive oil.

1–crust pie

2 c. flour

1/2 c. olive oil

5 tbsp water

salt

2-crust pie

3 c. flour

¾ c. olive oil

7-1/2 tbsp water

salt

Place the flour in a large bowl and make a well in the middle. Sprinkle the flour with salt. Pour the olive oil and water in the well of the flour . Using a fork, mix the flour, oil and water in a folding motion until all the flour disappears. Handle the dough as little as possible. The dough will look like green marble. For a two crust pie, divide the dough in half and flatten into two disks. Place one disk between two sheets of wax paper or parchment and roll to size. Freezes well.

Czarina (6 years ago)

Pie Club 4-ever! I'm sure it turned out delicious without Martha's mantra.

a Fellow Foodie (6 years ago)

The mantra is light and flaky? I've been saying light and fluffy!

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Food Writer Nicole Marshall Middleton joined the Tulsa World in May 1993 after graduating from Oklahoma State University. She has covered crime, city government and general assignment beats during that time - but mostly crime. But when she isn’t at work, Nicole is a devoted food hobbyist. She enjoys meal planning and cooking with her husband, Steve, every day of the week and on holidays it’s a family affair. When the opportunity to become the food writer at the Tulsa World presented itself in the summer of 2011, Nicole jumped at it. She is excited to explore a new side of Tulsa and make the transition from crime to cuisine. .

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