Helen's Single Crust Pie Pastry

By Cookie67

Helen Fletcher, owner of the St. Louis specialty bakery Truffles, shares her "no-fail" piecrusts. The generous amount makes it easy to roll out.
Country Living Magazine Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups cake flour or all purpose flour
• 1/3 cup all purpose flour
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 6 tbsp cold butter, cut into pieces
• 3 tbsp shortening
• 5 tbsp cold water
• 2 tbsp lightly beaten egg or 1 egg yolk
• 1 tsp lemon juice or vinegar

Details

Servings 1

Preparation

Step 1

1. In a medium blow, combine flours and salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in butter and shortening until pieces are pea-size.

2. In a small bowl, mix 4 tbsp of the water, the egg and lemon juice. Using large fork, toss flour and egg mixtures together. If any parts are dry, add the remaining 1 tbsp of water, gently toss to moisten (should be a mass of very large crumbs)

3. Turn crumb mixture out onto a lightly floured surface. Using your fingers, gently form a ball. With a bit of flour, knead 4 to 5 times to form a ball. Flatten into a disc about 1 inch thick. If necessary, wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 to 2 hours or until easy to handle.

4. On a lightly floured surface, roll pastry from center to edges into a circle 12 inches in diameter. To transfer pastry, wrap it around rolling pin. Unroll pastry into a 9-inch pie plate. Ease pastry into pie plate without stretching it. Gently fit into dish.

5. Trim the overhanging edge to an even 1-inch all the way around. tuck the crust under and flute the edges. Bake as directed in individual recipes.