vanessa

Hi everyone!

I really want to learn to make a good homemade pie. My husband loves them. I want to learn how to make the crust and the whole works.

Can someone help me?

Vanessa :)

mgshaw

I gave up on pie crust! Tried every recipe known to man and nothing worked for me, so I buy the pillsbury ready crusts but I do make homemade fillings. And nobody ever knows the difference!!!

Chele

I swear by the Pillsbury pie crusts! There's an awesome, fool proof apple pie recipe on the package. Turns out delicious every time! Are you looking for a particular pie recipe? I love making pies!

quiltsRfun

I'm not good at crusts either. But a few years back DH decided he was going to tackle it "just like my aunt used to make." He got pretty good but had to give it up when both our cholesterol levels were too high.

I think it's not so much the recipe as the technique. I know you don't want' to handle pie dough too much. Also, my Mom said lard made the best crusts, although it's one of the worst things healthwise. And I've heard ice water for the liquid. Try doing an internet search. Maybe there's a video or some other kind of tutorial.

Now you've got me hungry for a good homemade pie!

Elizabeth A.

Okay I have to admit I'm surprised... I'm not surprised at wanting to learn... I'm surprised no one has giving you the thumbs up for wanting to learn...

I use my mother's whole wheat pie crust recipe, personally I love the nutty flavor the whole wheat gives it, but you didn't say are you looking for a white flour crust or just what? I honestly don't think my white flour one is nearly as good, but some people just can't stand the thought of whole wheat.

The first Thanksgiving with my husband's family, my mother in law scrapped every last bit of pumpkin off her piece, but left the crust perfectly intact it even had a perfect point! She didn't even try one bite (and she wasn't on Adkins or anything, so there's no excuse!) I was sitting next to her at the time and you wouldn't believe the effort she put forth not to eat it. :cry: She'll sure gobble up any store bought pie crust though.

Chele

Oooh, I want the whole wheat pie crust recipe, please. That sounds fantastic. Maybe I can pull it off better than I can with white flour. And as much as I like pie filling, I think the crust is the BEST! :D

Minda

I'm sorry, I don't have a recipe to share. I just mix in the ingredients until it's the right consistency. I can tell you that you will need to practice. If it doesn't come out right the first time, don't give up. Nothing beats good homemade crust. :D

Start out with one-crust pies until you get used to handling and rolling out the dough. I always keep my flour in the freezer so it's good and cold when I add the shortening. I only use Crisco for pies. I prefer shortening rather than butter, but I think that's just a matter of taste. Whether you use Crisco or butter, be sure they are very, very cold before you add them to the flour. When you are ready to put the crust in a pie dish, roll it onto your rolling pin and then unroll it onto your pie dish. Lift up gently on the overlapping edges of the crust as you work it into the dish.

When you feel comfortable making a one-crust pie try a two-crust pie, but be sure not to overfill the crust. If you add too much fruit filling, it will run all over your oven when it bakes, and cause way more smoke than you want to deal with. :shock:
You can probably guess how I know this. :oops:

I think it's great that you want to learn to make your own crust. I've been making pies for over 40 years and I still love making them.
Have fun and good luck. :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:

You might find these sites helpful.

http://allrecipes.com/HowTo/Making-a-Pie-Crust-Step-by-Step/Detail.aspx

http://www.musingsofahousewife.com/musings_of_a_housewife/2007/12/a-pie-making-le.html

http://www.taunton.com/finecooking/pages/c00119.asp

Elizabeth A.

Eggs and vinegar, hu... never heard of those in a pie crust, not vanilla either, but you said you don't put that in ;)

Let me dig out my tattered page here....

Whole Wheat Pie Crust (With extra helps for Beginners)

Single Crust
1 1/2 cup wheat flour
dash salt
1/2 cup BUTTER (mom sometimes uses shortening) That's one stick
4-5 Tablespoons cold water

Double Crust
2 cups flour
dash salt
2/3 cup butter/shortening
5-7 tablespoons cold water
Tip as a beginner you can just double the single crust version to get more dough until your more used to rolling, etc. I always struggled with how little dough there was in the Double Crust version, but now after years of making it I don't have to double it.

Mix flour and salt cut in shortening with a pastry blender until pieces are the size of small peas. Add water one tablespoon at a time till dough holds it form and is all moistened. (I always keep my butter the sticks frozen, which I thaw in the microwave for about a minute and the pour the melted butter into the flour mixture, but some would tell you to never, never do it that way, as your crust will be "less flaky" I dunno, no one at my house complains, they eat it up- oh and I put ice cubes in my water to cool it all back down)

Form dough into a ball (two for a double crust). Flatten one ball gently on a lightly floured pastry sheet (or wax paper). Lightly flour top of dough Use another sheet of wax paper about 2 feet long on top, roll dough with a rolling pin (a wine bottle will do in a pinch) to be a 1/8" thick (or use a quilters square to ensure it is out to roughly 14" (a pastry sheet will have lines on it and you just roll it out past your size pie plate, but I understand not everyone has one).

Gently pull away top piece of wax paper. Have the pie plate clean and close by. Using the wax paper to provide support to your dough - You can turn the wax paper with the dough upside down, and settle the dough into place. Pull one side carefully to release the waxed paper (or the pastry sheet if that's what you used). If the dough resists (this recipe doesn't normally have trouble) try from another side, you can always use your finger nail to "help" the dough off the wax paper. Pat dough gently into pie plate careful to remove any air pockets.

Fill crust with filling of your choice we love just about any fruit or pot pie for this crust.

If using a double crust roll out second crust as the first laying it gently on top of pie. Using a butter knife trim edges of pie to be even pressing as you go to "seal" the two sides together. Roll it up and gently press with your fingers (any good cookbook has this technique as a PHOTO) You can get fancy and make a weave, but my favorite way is to cut the letter "R" for our last name boxy and big as the vents for the pie. Make sure each line you make don't connect. I think you could do this with any letter though "s" might be hard. Don't forget you can always use that last little bit of dough you cut off to make "applique with cookie cutters, hearts, stars, ect just get laid right on top, but don't forget those vents. Volia bake per filling directions.

I love having a good solid PIE DAY, and that's when I'll make two or even four in a day, just be sure to move them around about half way through for even cooking. This does NOT add time to your cooking.

Jim's Gem

I agree, a homemade crust is just like the icing on the cake. I can sometimes taste a little aftertaste from the Pillbury pie crusts. I will a lot of times make a big batch of 6 pie crusts and freeze the extras in a ball in a ziploc baggie for later use.

Minda

Loretta, Thanks for posting the link for Feather's recipe. Sounds very yummy. I'm going to try it. :D :D