Georgia’s Kitchen: Pie Crust

Georgia Diehm

Keota, Iowa – There are many good recipes for pie crust. The ones I will give you today are old ones Mom had, that I’m sure were favorites in her day and time. Today, I still hear people say that lard makes a very flaky pie crust and I believe it is healthier then the shortening that is sold in our grocery stores. Many people are going back to using lard. Like anything, moderation is the key!

101 Year Old Pastry

2 1/2 cup sifted flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup lard
1 egg beaten
1 Tbsp vinegar
cold water

Cut lard into flour and salt. Beat egg lightly in a 1 1/2 cup measure. Add vinegar and fill cup with cold water. Add just barely enough liquid to dry ingredients to hold dough together, about 4 Tbsp reserving remaining liquid for next batch of pastry. Handle dough as little as possible. Roll out into pastry and use as desired. Makes 2 (9 in) pie shells

Perfect Pie Crust

2 cups sifted flour
1 tsp salt
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup lard
cold water

Put flour and salt in a large bowl. Have butter and lard cold. Now add lard the same way as butter, putting into flour and using your fingertips pinch into the flour until all feels as flat as a thin dime and a little smaller. Do quickly. If your hands are cold you’ll do a better job. Now add ice water a little at a time until there’s just enough to absorb the flour. Start with 3 Tbsp. You may need as much as five but don’t get it soggy or crust will be tough. Form pastry in a ball and chill for 1/2 hr. Divide in half and roll on a slightly floured board to desired size. The easiest way to get pastry in pans is roll on rolling pin then unroll it over pan. Bake as directed for pie shells or two crust pies. Note: To measure butter add 2/3 cup water to measuring cup, then butter until cup is full, which gives 1/3 cup of butter. Do the same with lard. Drain off water

Puff Paste

1 lb. sifted flour
3/4 lb. butter, cold
1 egg(use yolk only)
ice water

Chop half the butter into flour; stir the beaten egg yolk in a half cup ice water and work the flour into a stiff dough. Roll out thin, baste with 1/3 of remaining butter; fold closely. Roll out again and so on until butter is used up. Roll very thin and set the last folded roll in a very cold place for 10 to 15 min before making out the crust. Wash with beaten egg white while hot. This puff paste is recommended for pastries and for fruit pies

Flaky Pastry

3 cups sifted flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup fresh sweet butter
3/8 to 3/4 cup cold water
1/2 cup washed or sweet butter

Keep butter cold. With knife or the tips of the fingers work the 1/2 cup butter into the flour and salt. When the mixture looks like meal add cold water gradually and with a knife mix with a paste as in plain pastry. Knead slightly, cover and let stand 5 min. Then pat with rolling pin and roll out into a rectangular sheet. Fold in the butter as in a puff paste and give the paste 2 or 3 turns allowing it to stand 5 min between each turn. This pastry may be used at once

Forgotten Meringue Shell

5 egg whites
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tsp almond extract

Set oven at (400). Butter a 9 in pie pan and sprinkle it with cornstarch. Shake and tip the pan so that the cornstarch covers bottoms and sides, then dump out surplus. Beat the egg whites until foamy. Then add salt and cream of tartar and continue beating until the beater pulled from the eggs will make rounded peaks. Gradually beat in the sugar and almond and continue beating until it is very stiff or makes sharp peaks. Put the meringue in the pie pans and with the back of a spoon push it up in high swirls at the sides having it shallower in the middle. Put in the oven. Turn off oven and forget it completely, that is until morning or at least 5 hrs. Take shell from pan. Put on a round dish and fill with ice cream or whipped cream and serve with sliced peaches or strawberries.

Note: Betty Crocker Cookbook says to bake meringue pie shells at (275). Since this recipe does not state the temperature to use, you will need to experiment.