Serves: 5
*Pie pastry gains its characteristic flakiness from careful handling. The ingredients are mixed just enough to hold together, but not so much as to break down the pieces of shortening (or other fat) entirely. In the oven, the water in the bits of shortening turns to steam, pushing up the floury dough and creating tender flaky layers.
*Pastry success depends upon accurate measurements.
*Stir together the flour and salt thoroughly before adding shortening and water.
*Work chilled shortening into the flour mixture with a pastry blender, two butter knives or a fork. Cut just until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with a few pea-sized morsels remaining.
*Make sure the liquid you add is ice-cold (again, to prevent the shortening from melting) and add the minimum necessary for the dough to stick together. Mix it in gently, a tablespoon at a time vigorous mixing toughens the dough.
*For easier handling, press the dough into a disc shape, wrap it in plastic wrap or waxed paper and chill it at least 30 minutes before rolling it out. When you remove the dough from the refrigerator, you may need to let it stand for a few minutes to prevent crumbling.
*Sparingly flour the work surface and rolling pin to keep the dough from sticking, but use as little as possible to avoid toughening the dough. A surface covered with a lightly floured pastry cloth and a rolling pin covered with a cloth sleeve are best. With light strokes, roll pastry into an 11-inch circle. Fold dough in half or quarters transfer to pan and unfold without stretching.
*An ovenproof, glass pie plate is best for even baking and browning second-best is an aluminum pan with a dull finish.
*For two-crust pie, trim bottom pastry even with pie plate edge add filling. Cover with top pastry, allowing 1-inch overlap fold over. Seal and flute.
*Place the pie in the center of the preheated oven. If two pies are baking side by side, arrange them so they do not touch the sides of the oven or each other. If two pies are baking on separate shelves, stagger the placement so the pies are not directly over each other.
*Heat circulation varies among ovens. If the edges of the crust start to brown before the center is done, cover the edges with 2-inch-wide strips of foil. If the whole top is overbrowning, drape a sheet of foil over the top.
This Cook's Note: Tips for Successful Pastries and Pie Crusts recipe is from the Cook'n with Pillsbury Cookbook. Download this Cookbook today.
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