Paula's Perfect Pie Crust

By

Recipe courtesy Paula Deen
Show: Paula's Party
Episode: Gotta See TV Party

Yield: 2 (9-inch) pie crusts
Use this crust with PAULA'S PERFECT APPLE PIE FILLING.

MY NOTES: 450 degrees seems awfully high. I might bake it at 450 degrees for 10 minutes, then turn the heat down to 375 and bake until crust is golden brown, apples are tender, and pie juices are bubbly hot.

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Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 * 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 * 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
  • 3 * 3 tablespoons granulated white sugar
  • 1/4 * 1/4 cup vegetable shortening, cold
  • 12 * 12 tablespoons butter, cold and cubed
  • 1/4 * 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup ice water
  • 3 * 3 tablespoons butter, diced
  • * Egg wash, for brushing
  • * Cinnamon/Sugar, for sprinkling

Preparation

Step 1

In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, salt and sugar. Add the shortening and break it up with your hands as you start to coat it all up with the flour. Add the cold butter cubes and work it into the flour with your hands or a pastry cutter. Work it quickly, so the butter doesn't get too soft, until the mixture is crumbly, like very coarse cornmeal. Add the ice water, a little at a time, until the mixture comes together forming a dough. Bring the dough together into a ball.

When it comes together stop working it otherwise the dough will get over-worked and tough. Divide the dough in half and flatten it slightly to form a disk shape. Wrap each disk in plastic and chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Set aside. Roll out chilled dough into 2 circles and use 1 round to line a 9-inch pie pan. Chill the other round.

Mound pie filling of your choice into the pie pan lined with dough.

Using a pastry cutter, cut an even number of strips from the remaining rolled out dough. Transfer every other strip to the pie top and weave in the lattice by folding every other strip back onto itself and laying another strip perpendicularly. Fold the strips back across and repeat until completed.

Brush the top of the pie with egg wash and sprinkle with cinnamon/sugar. Trim the overhanging dough and crimp edges.

Bake pie for 45 minutes. Let rest 20 minutes before slicing.


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