Pie Crust from Scratch

Promises and pie-crust are meant to be broken. - Jonathan Swift, Polite Conversation

Jonathan Swift couldn't have said it better. A broken promise is accompanied by guilt, but a broken pie crust, no, never guilt, but joy, and when you dig into the pie, sheer heaven! Pure heaven. Mmm! Can't you almost smell a pie crust being baked in an oven? Those who cannot bake the crust, don't fret. Here's a simple way of making a pie crust from scratch. Just follow the recipes below.

Simple and Easy Recipe

Things required

• Flour (¾ cup)
• Salt (¼ teaspoon
• Shortening (¼ cup)
• Cold water (2 - 3 tablespoons)
• Your rolling pin
• Extra flour for rolling

Directions

• Mix flour, salt and shortening with cold water. Keep mixing till it forms a ball, which you can easily knead with your hands.
• Put some flour on your rolling surface and on your rolling pin. This will make it easier for you to flatten the dough.
• Put the ball of dough on the surface and flatten it into an even disc. Make your disc at least 10 - 12" wide. If you are not happy with the disc that you have made, you can easily make it into a ball and start all over.
• Now lift up your flat dough and put it in the pie dish. Be careful while lifting it up, as the dough might get stuck to the surface. To prevent this put more flour on the dough. Once you put it into the pie dish, make sure that it covers the entire bottom, sides and the top lip of the dish.
• Put in you favorite filling now. Want a crust on top of your pie as well? Then make another flat dough, put it on top of the pie dish, making sure that the top layer and the bottom layer are properly sealed.
• Put this dish in the oven now and bake it at a temperature of 350 degrees F, for 45 minutes, or till it turns golden brown.
• Serve and enjoy the complements.

Chicken Pot Pie Crust

Things Required

To make the crust you need:

• Flour (2 cups)
• Baking powder (4 teaspoons)
• Salt (1/8 teaspoon)
• Milk (2⅓ cups)
• Aluminum pie pan (1 - 9 inch)
• Butter (4 tablespoons

To make the filling for your crust, you need:

• Boneless chicken breast, with their skin removed (2 - 3 pieces)
• Cream of chicken soup (1 can)
• Mixed frozen vegetables (1 can or 1 bag).

Directions

• Mix the baking powder, salt and the milk, in a large bowl, until the dough becomes firm.
• Now you roll the dough into balls and separate them into two equal parts.
• Flatten one part using a rolling pin and place into the pie pan.
• Flatten the second part of the dough and keep it aside.

Now you make the chicken pot pie filling.

• First you boil the chicken and cut into pieces which can be easily put into your mouth.
• Mix the chicken pieces, vegetables and the chicken cream, in the bottom crust. Keep stirring till they mix well. But do be careful that you do not destroy the bottom crust.
• Next put the dough which you had kept aside, as the top crust of your pie.
• Make sure that the top crust and the lower crust are sealed properly.
• Then, using a knife, make slits on your pie's top crust, to allow the pie to breathe.
• Put this in the oven and bake it at a temperature of 350 degrees F, for 1 hour, or till the top crust turns slightly brown and till the fillings inside are properly done. If not, lower the temperature of the oven and bake for another 15 to 30 minutes. Serve.

Apple Pie Crust

Things Required

• Flour (2 cups)
• Salt (1 teaspoon)
• Sugar (1 tablespoon)
• Butter (6 tablespoons)
• Shortening (6 tablespoons)
• Ice water (6 - 8 tablespoons)

Directions

• Mix in a bowl, flour, salt and sugar.
• After mixing it thoroughly, put in butter, shortening and ice water.
• Leave it aside.

Now, let's make the filling for your apple pie.

Things Required

• Tart apples, peeled (5)
• Sugar (1 cup)
• Flour (2 tablespoons)
• Cinnamon (½ tablespoon)
• Salt (¼ tablespoon)
• Cider vinegar (1 tablespoon)
• Lemon juice (1 tablespoon)

Directions

• Slice the apples and soak them in water mixed with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. This won't allow the apples to turn brown, as cut apples usually do when kept in open air for long.
• Mix together in a large bowl, sugar,flour, cinnamon, salt and vinegar.
• Now mix the apple slices with this mixture.

Now, for the final step.

• Divide the crust into two parts, roll them into a flat dough, its thickness being around 1/8th of an inch.
• Put this into the pie dish.
• Put in the apple fillings.
• Place on the top of the fillings, 4 chunks of butter, which gives the filling a rich flavor.
• Now roll out the other part of the dough and put it on top, and carefully seal the top and bottom crust.
• Now put your pie in the oven and bake it at a temperature of around 400 degrees F, for 50 - 60 minutes.
• After you take out the pie, you can also brush a small portion of egg white on top it for a glossy effect.
• Your pie is now ready to serve and eat.

Those who are health conscious, or those who are under a strict diet, but at the same time cannot resist eating a pie, whole wheat crust is just the thing for you. It is healthy as well as a delicious. You can also learn more about how to make pie crust, and make the best pie using your own favorite stuffing and surprise your family with your gift. Is that a pie crust that I can smell being baked? I think so. Hope they will put in my favorite stuffing.