Pastry (Pie) Shell
I love making my own pastry (pie) crusts; it can be a very satisfying task for me. And this recipe is an easy one to master without a lot of extra frustration.
- 2
- Average
- 30 mins
- 20 mins
- Average budget
Ingredients
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup cold, hard butter (cut into cubes)
- 6 tablespoons water
Preparation
Step 1
Measure your flour into a bowl. Add the cubed butter.
Step 2
Using your fingertips, rub the butter (fat) and flour together, making sure to incorporate all the flour.
Step 3
Continue to cut in the butter (fat) until the flour mixture is the consistency of bread crumbs.
Step 4
Add the water one (1) tablespoon at a time. Each time you add some water, cut the water into the flour with a knife. The mixture should come together in a soft mass once all the water has been added.
Step 5
Again, using your fingertips, gather all your mixture and place it on a flat work surface. Gently shape it into a ball.
Step 6
When you are ready to use your pastry (pie) dough, simply roll it out and form it into your pie pans.
If your recipe calls for a baked pie shell, you can bake your pastry dough quite easily. Simply shape it into your pie pan. Using a fork, poke some 'air' holes into the bottom of the shell. Add a layer of aluminum foil and fill with dried beans (for weight). Bake in a 425 degree oven for 10 minutes. Remove the beans and the foil, and bake for an additional 10 minutes.