It's no secret that I have not mastered the pie crust. My relatives are quick to say they will bring pies to the next event...just in case I should try my hand at it again. Since it is pouring rain today and since Cook's Corner has two tried and true pie crust recipes, I thought this might be the day to mark pie crusts off my bucket list; which by the way, is now a very short list.
The pies in stores are hideous. The crusts taste awful and the gelatinous mess that is the filling is disgusting. Even the Amish pies taste factory made and are no better than those at Giant Eagle or else where. Yet we continue to buy them, try them, and then throw them out. We must man up and make our own, there is no excuse for bad pie...believe me, I have used them all.
This first one has been made by this family for 80 years and calls for lard. My Aunt Fausta, the greatest pie crust maker in America, would have approved this.
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
2/3 cup of lard(cold)
6 tablespoons whole milk (cold)
Mix the flour and salt in a medium bowl. Using a pastry blender, cut the lard until the pieces are pea-sized. Add milk 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing moistened pieces to the side until all the mixture is moist enough to form a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill thoroughly.
Cut the ball in half and on a lightly floured surface, roll half of dough into a 12-inch round. Transfer to a 9 inch pie plate and repeat for the top half.
Now this pie crust has vodka in it--for crust perfection. (and for scientific reasons.)
2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour plus extra for the work surface, of course
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter chilled and cut into 1/4 inch pieces
1/2 cup vegetable shortening cut into 4 pieces and chilled (I bet this is lard or Crisco)
1/4 cup vodka, chilled
1/4 cup ice water
Process 1 1/2 cups of flour, the sugar and the salt together in a food processor until combined. Scatter the butter and shortening over the top and continue to process until has formed and uneven clump with no remaining floury bits...about 15 seconds.
Scrape down the work bowl and redistribute the dough evenly around the processor blade. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup flour over the dough and pulse until the mixture has broken up and is evenly distributed in the bowl which takes 4 to 6 pulses.
Transfer the mix to a medium bowl. Sprinkle the cold vodka and cold water over the mixture. Stir and press dough together until the dough sticks together. Divide the dough into 2 even pieces. turn each piece of dough onto a sheet of plastic wrap and flatten into a 4 inch disk. Wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. Before rolling out let sit on counter for about 10 minutes.
I'm off to the kitchen. There are more good recipes from Cook's Corner to share, but not today. It's PIE day at the Lechlers.
