Pie Crust Hacks

I love how creative people are with food these days and thought I would share

Although I haven't baked a pie from scratch probably since high school, I did go through a pie baking phase for a few years between Jr. High and High School where it was a passion and I made one about every week and when it gets cooler outside might try to get back into and take them to carry-ins at work instead of buying something.

So Yummy also has written instructions on their website, but in this case, I think the video makes it much easier to understand.

My go-to recipe for a pie crust is the one from an older Betty Crocker Cookbook and it is the oil-based pie crust and I did find a version of it on Food.com both here and here 

Although it is a less flaky crust than one made with shortening, it is almost impossible to under work or over work like a shortening pie and it is much less messy with minimal clean up.

What I recall for a pie with a top an bottom layer was:

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. salt.
• 1/2 cup vegetable, canola oil or corn oil
• 3-4 TBSP Cold Water
• Optional - would put in a pinch or two of nutmeg or cinnamon

You mix the flour, salt and oil in a bowl with a fork until little dough balls about the size of peas start to form.  Then you mix in the water, a table spoon at a time and work through until the dough is not sticking to the sides of the bowl.

Divide dough in half, form into a ball and place on a sheet of wax paper (larger than the crust will be), place another sheet of wax paper on top, flatten with your hand then begin using a rolling pin to roll into a circle.  

Once the right size remove take off the top of the wax paper, flip it onto the pie pan to form your crust leaving about a half inch over the sides typically and what you do from there would be depending on the type of design you would want.  

If you get a hole or tear in it that is fine, just push the pieces together with your fingers.

Be sure to poke holes in the bottom and if  you are not going to be cooking the filling in a pie but put a pudding or cream filling instead, put dry beans in the pie to weight the crust down while baking (425 degrees for 10-15 minute - varies by oven) so it doesn't puff up anywhere.

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