Super Simple Pie Crust

 
​   When I first got married 10 years ago, I couldn't cook (at all!), and didn't bake that much either. I liked to try, and would sometimes make a wonderful cake, or a great batch of cookies, but besides some good moments, I was a dolt!
 
   One thing I used to buy a lot was the Pillsbury pre-made pie crust, or the Robin Hood Flaky Pie Crust mix. Both were good, flaky crusts, and were simple to use, but the prices weren't usually the best. Anywhooo, short story long, at some point I realized I needed to face my fear of pie (and tart) crusts, and make my own. Holy jumpin' it's easy! 

Super Simple Pie Crust
makes 1 (one) 9 inch pie shell, or roughly 12 tart shells

Ingredients: 

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
•  1/4 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup cubed, cold butter, or vegetable shortening
• 4 to 7 Tbsp cold water

Method: 

1. In a large bowl, measure the flour
2. Add salt, and gently stir to combine
3. Add butter (or shortening) to bowl, and using 2 knives, or a pastry cutter, or your own chilled hands (run them under really cold water), work the butter into the flour and salt until it you have coarse crumbs.
4. Add the cold water, one tablespoon at  time, and mix using a wooden spoon until you have a nice, thick dough. (the amount of water you use will vary from place to place, as well as from season to season). You may need to use your hands to incorporate all the flour. Roll dough into a ball.
5. Place the dough ball out on a sheet of wax or parchment paper, and squish it down. Place another sheet of wax or parchment paper over the squished dough, and using a rolling pin, or a large can, roll the dough out to  approximately a 9 inch circle (a standard pie plate size).  

  *See below for tips on pre-baking.

All you need to make your own pie crust

   
   Some pie recipes want you to bake the crust first, and other recipes don't. If your not sure what to do, usually you would pre-bake a crust when the filling is liquid or when the filling itself is not baked (like a no-bake cheesecake filling).
   If your recipe calls for a pre-baked pie crust, freeze the crust in the pie plate for at least half and hour, this is an important part of pre-baking a pie crust, as it will help keep the sides of the pie from sliding down when you bake it. 
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Simple steps

The way I do a pre-baked crust: 

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. 
2. When the pie crust is chilled, line the pie crust with parchment paper, wax paper, or aluminum foil. 
3. Fill at least two-thirds full with pie weights. I use dry lentils, but dry beans, or rice would work too.
4. Bake with weights for 20 minutes. 
5. Remove from oven, cool a few minutes and carefully remove pie weights.
6.  Poke small holes in the bottom of the pie crust with a fork and return to oven (without the weights) and cook for an additional 10 minutes, until the crust is golden. 
7. Cool completely before filling. 
8. You may need to tent the edges of the pie with aluminum foil when you bake your pie, to keep the edges from getting too dried out and burnt

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That bottom right photo is my pie crust getting ready for pre-baking. I use dry lentils for pie weights. You can put the weights you use back into an airtight container for re-use as pie weights in the future. Just be sure to to label the container so you don't cook them to eat!

   Really easy right? I know, I sort of felt like a dork when I realized how simple it was! I have used this crust recipe for fruit pies, custard pies, meat pies, and quiches. It is just a flaky, not too sweet vessel for whatever you can imagine!    
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