Alans Pie Pastry My Technique Recipes

BASIC PIE PASTRY

Steps:

• Combine the flour, sugar, salt, and lemon zest in a large mixing bowl. Add the butter and mix with a pastry blender or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the egg yolk and ice water and work that in with your hands. (Or do the whole thing in a food processor, pulsing a couple of times to combine the dry ingredients, then pulsing in the butter, and then the egg.) Check the consistency of the dough by squeezing a small amount together between thumb and forefingers: You want there to be just enough moisture to bind the dough so that it holds together without being too wet or sticky. If it's still crumbly, add a little more ice water, 1 teaspoon at a time. When you get it to the right consistency, shape the dough into a disk and wrap it in plastic. Put it in the refrigerator and chill for at least 30 minutes.

TOTALLY AWESOME PIE PASTRY

Steps:

• Mix Five Roses Flour, salt and baking powder together.
• Cut in shortening with two knives or pastry blender.
• Add ice cold water, a little at a time, using just enough to bind the mixture so the dough can be patted lightly to form a ball. HANDLE AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE.
• Form 2/3 of dough into a round disc and place on lightly floured board. Save remaining dough for top crust. Roll dough from center outward, with a light, even pressure, to form a circle 1/8 inch thick and an inch larger than the pie plate.
• Fold double and lift gently into pie plate. Unfold and fit loosely in place. DO NOT STRETCH.
• Trim edges, allowing 1/4 to 1/2 inch extra all around. Put in a generous amount of filling. Heap fruit filling in center because it will cook down during baking.
• Roll out top crust; fold double and cut slits or fancy design near center to allow steam to escape.
• Brush edges of bottom crust with water, fit top crust over filling and lightly press top edges together. Trim edges evenly and flute.
• Bake as directed for pie filling.
• Yield: One 9 inch double crust pie or two 9 inch single shells.
• Single Shell:.
• Use only 1/2 of dough for each single shell. Arrange bottom crust in pie pan as above.
• Press pastry to rim of pie plate; flute.
• Add filling. Bake as directed for filling.

ALAN'S PIE CRUST

Steps:

• Mix the flour and the salt in a large bowl. Add the butter or margarine and lard; mix with hands until crumb like texture is achieved. Mix in the water. Pat into a ball, and wrap in wax paper. Refrigerate for at least two hours.

ALAN'S PIE CRUST

Steps:

• Mix the flour and the salt in a large bowl. Add the butter or margarine and lard; mix with hands until crumb like texture is achieved. Mix in the water. Pat into a ball, and wrap in wax paper. Refrigerate for at least two hours.

CLASSIC PIE PASTRY

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine flour and salt; cut in shortening until mixture is crumbly. Gradually add water, tossing with a fork until a ball forms. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes or until easy to handle., For a single crust, roll out pastry on a lightly floured surface to fit a 9- or 10-in. pie plate. Transfer pastry to pie plate. Trim pastry to 1/2 in. beyond edge of plate; flute edges. Fill or bake shell according to recipe directions. , For a double crust, divide dough in two portions so one ball is slightly larger than the other. Roll out larger ball on a lightly floured surface to fit a 9-in. or 10-in. pie plate. Transfer pastry to pie plate. Trim pastry even with edge of plate. Add filling. Roll out remaining pastry to fit top of pie; place over filling. Trim, seal and flute edges. Cut slits in top. Bake according to recipe directions.

PASTRY FOR SINGLE-CRUST PIE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine flour and salt; cut in shortening until crumbly. Gradually add water, tossing with a fork until a ball forms. Roll out pastry to fit a 9-in. or 10-in. pie plate. , Transfer crust to pie plate. Trim crust to 1/2 in. beyond rim of pie plate; flute edge. Fill or bake crust according to recipe directions.