Classic Pie Dough

By mitzzy

If you want a dough that is a joy to work with, this one egg pastry is a must. The recipe yields a large batch of easy-to-work with pie dough - flaky but trouble free rolling and handling. Lemon juice tenderizes the dough a tad, and the inclusion of an egg adds a bit more body, flavor, and assists with browning but is optional.. I actually prefer all butter for its incomparable taste but the part vegetable shortening, part butter approach makes for a flakier texture. Do opt for the no trans fats Crisco -it works as well as regular and is better nutritionally. This is a perfect pastry for almost any filling, from apple pie, to pumpkin pie to quiche. It handles like a dream. Makes enough dough for 2 9 inch double pie crusts plus one 8-9 inch single crust pies. Use half the recipe right away and freeze the other

Ingredients

• 4 cups all purpose flour
• 6 ounces (3/4 cup) butter or shortening
• 6 ounces (3/4 cup) unsalted butter
• 1 egg, optional
• 2 1/2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 3/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 cup ice water

Details

Servings 2

Preparation

Step 1

Place flour in a large mixing bowl. Cut in shortening and butter until mixture is crumbly - a not so even mixture of little and larger lumps of flour covered fat. Stir together egg, sugar, and salt, and lemon juice. Make a well in center of flour and fat. Stir in egg mixture and drizzle in most of ice water. Using a fork or fingers, toss mixture together to moisten flour. Stir to make a soft mass and pat into a dough. Add remaining (or additional) ice water as required to make sure dough sticks together.

Turn out onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead very briefly into a smooth dough. Divide dough in 2 portions (for two double crusts) or 4-5 portions (for 4-5 single crusts) and wrap each section well by wrapping first in plastic wrap and then insert into a ziplock bag. Refrigerate the dough at least one hour or up to two days (or freeze).