Pie Crust

My husband decided that he was going to make me a pie and start by making a homemade pie crust!!  What a treat (and super frugal).  I thought that I was going to be able to help but with all the holiday preparations, I was working on the stuffing while he was working on his pie crust.  I was hoping to make one of the recipes that I found on the web but my husband loves this Betty Crocker cookbook that I got when I opened up my bank account in college!!  I don't think that it was the best pie crust ever but it was decent and the most thoughtful gift that my husband has made me.

He started by mixing all the dry ingredients in the bowl and adding shortening.

Add water to the dough, 1 tbsp at a time.  When it is all moisted, roll into a ball.

Put the ball on a lightly floured surface to roll out to about a 12 inch circle.

He fitted the pie crust into the pie plate.  Then, he folded the edges under to make it a pretty crust. 

He asked my mom to crimp the edges which she did with a fork.  The pie crust for our recipe needed to be cooked a little first so they made holes in the edges and bottom for baking.  After finishing the work, my husband covered the crust with foil and put it into the oven to bake.

Pie Crust
(based on Betty Crocker recipe)

1 1/4 c flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 c shortening
3 to 4 tbsp cold water

1.  In mixing bowl, stir together flour and salt.  Cut in shortening until pieces are the size of small peas.

2.  Sprinkle 1 tbsp of water over part of the mixture; gently toss with a fork.  Push to the side of bowl.  Repeat until all is moistened.  Form dough into ball.

3.  On a lightly floured surface, flatten dough with hands.  Roll dough from the center to the edges, forming a circle about 12 inches in diameter.  Wrap around rolling pin.  Unroll onto 9 inch pie plate.  Be careful not to stretch pastry.

4.  Trim or fold under crust.  Make fluted or scalloped edge.