Aunt Jenny's Pie Crust
- Yield:2 pie crusts
- Time:40 mins show details
This recipe is from my great-aunt, the matriarch of all family gatherings. It's guaranteed to get you tons of compliments for how flaky and delicious it is, and then probably many apalled complaints if they find out how much butter is in there. But hey, there's a reason it's amazing.
Ingredients
- 2½ cupsflour
- 1 teaspoonsugar
- 1 teaspoonsalt
- ½ poundcold, unsalted butter
- ¼ cupsolid vegetable shortening
- 3 ouncesice water
- 2 tablespoonsice water optional
Equipment
- pastry blender, Lacking this, either cold hands or 2 knives'll and a little skill will work just fine.
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Preparation
- 1 min
Cube the butter. Or, chill the butter then grate it.
- 1 min
Combine the flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl.
- 5 mins
Cut the butter and shortening into the flour mixture using two knives, a pastry blender, or your fingers if they're cold enough. Cut in until the butter and shortening are pea-sized pieces.
Work as quickly as possible; you don't want the butter to get warm, and you don't want to overwork the dough.
A video of cutting in by hand: youtube.com/watch?v=p3Z5D...
- 3 mins
Drizzle in the 3 ounces (aka 1/3 c. + 1 T) of ice water and combine with a rubber spatula. If necessary, add an extra 1-2 T ice water.
If you're me you're probably going to want to switch to your hands after an initial stir. DO NOT OVERWORK THE DOUGH. Mix until just combined.
- 30 mins
Press into two balls, cover in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes - 2 days.
Notes
Yields a top and bottom crust, or two bottom crusts.
When you're ready to use it, roll in out into a (pregreased) pie dish, shape the edges, then refrigerate it for about half an hour before using.
I like to parbake my crusts as well, using pie marbles or parchment paper and rice.
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