Pie crust was one of the first things I was taught to make, and I have always used my mom’s recipe – 3 cups flour to 1 cup butter, with 1 TBLS sugar per cup of flour for a sweet, double crust pie. And I tended to use unsalted butter, which makes a good tasting, but not flaky crust. For flakes you need shortening or lard. Recently I’ve been playing around with both the proportions, and the type of fat – mom used salted margarine – and I have decided that I like the original proportions, but with salted butter, plus two TBLS vegetable shortening or lard.
3 cups flour (unbleached white or whole wheat, or a combo)
good pinch salt, unless you’re using salted butter
3 tablespoons sugar
1 cup butter, either salted or un- (2 sticks, 16 tablespoons)
2 tablespoons vegetable shortening or lard
5-7 tablespoons cold water
Measure the flour, salt and sugar into the bowl of your stand mixer (my favorite method), your food processor, or a mixing bowl. Slice the butter and shortening over the top and combine with the flour mixture, using the paddle attachment of the mixer, by pulsing the processor, or using a pastry blender, 2 knives, or your fingers, until you have a crumbly mixture with no butter lumps bigger than currants. With the mixer or processor running, or while stirring with fork, drizzle in the water by tablespoons, until the mixture just starts to come together in clumps. Stop before you have one big ball. Turn the crust out onto a floured surface and knead lightly to bring it together. Gather it into a ball, flatten into a disk, wrap (in plastic, wax paper, one of your reusable snack/sandwich bags), and chill for about an hour, and up to 2 days.
This makes enough crust for 2 single crust pies or one double crust or lattice topped pie.
For a lattice crust, roll out the bottom crust and ease it into the pie dish. Set the crust in the fridge. Make the filling. Roll out the top crust and cut it into strips – with a decorative cutter if you have one – the one I use is actually for making the ruffled edges of lasagna noodles. Pour the filling into the bottom crust – it helps to take it out of the fridge at this point. Weave the crust strips into a lattice – use what you remember from making woven potholders for your mom.
See pictures below.
