English Pie Crusts Recipes

ENGLISH PIE CRUSTS

Steps:

• Cut the shortening into cubes, and toss into flour. Take your hands and crumble it up into a fine, pebbly, grainy sort of dough.
• Add water, enough to make a soft dough. Form into a ball, and chill for about an hour.
• When chilled, knead it a couple of times on a floured surface. Roll it out, and proceed to fill with your choice of pie fillings.

PIE PASTRY

Steps:

• Rub the lard and butter into the flour with a generous pinch of sea salt until completely combined. Add the beaten egg and 100ml ice-cold water and mix until you have a soft dough. Transfer to the fridge and chill for at least 1 hr, or until needed.
• Divide the pastry into 12 equal pieces and roll out into rounds on a lightly floured surface. Use six of the rounds to line the bottoms of six individual pie dishes, leaving an overhang. Fill the pies with the mixture of your choice, brush the rims with some of the egg yolk, top with the remaining pastry rounds, then trim and crimp the edges. Decorate with the trimmings, if you like. Glaze with more egg yolk, or as indicated in the filling recipe, and chill until you're ready to cook.
• Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 6 with a baking tray inside. Put the pies on the hot tray and bake for 30-35 mins until golden. Leave to rest as directed, then serve in the dishes or turn out onto plates.

BRITISH SHORTCRUST PIE PASTRY

Steps:

• Combine flour, butter, and shortening using a food processor until crumbly. Mix in water 1 tablespoon at at time until dough is soft and pliable.
• Wrap dough in plastic wrap; let rest in a refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before using.

EASY PIE CRUST

Steps:

• To make the dough for the pie crust, mix 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour and 1 teaspoon each salt and sugar in a medium-size bowl. Cut 2 sticks chilled unsalted butter into pieces. With a pastry blender, cut in butter, working until mixture resembles coarse meal.
• Add 4 tablespoons ice water; work with hands until dough comes together. If dough is still crumbly, add more ice water a tablespoon at a time (up to 4 more tablespoons). Do not overwork.
• Divide dough in half, and flatten halves into disks. Wrap disks separately in plastic; refrigerate at least 1 hour.
• To form the pie shell, roll the dough on a floured surface into a 14-inch round. Wrap around rolling pin and carefully unroll over a 9-inch pie plate.
• Fit gently into bottom and side of plate. Use kitchen shears to trim dough to a 1-inch overhang; fold under, and seal to form a rim.
• Crimp rim with fingertips and knuckle. Repeat with remaining dough; wrap each with plastic, stack, and freeze.

EASIEST PIE CRUST EVER!

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, mix flour and salt.
• Add oil and water all at once to flour.
• With a fork, stir until mixture holds together.
• Shape dough into a ball and flatten.
• Roll between two pieces of wax paper to a 12" diameter.
• Peel off one piece of wax paper and invert dough, paper side up, into a 9" pie plate.
• Peel off second piece of paper. Ease an fit pastry into plate. Trim and flute edges.
• NOTE: DO NOT pierce pie crust. Fill as desired and bake according to pie recipe.
• Can be doubled for a 2 crust pie.

PROPER ENGLISH COTTAGE PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• To Make Meat Filling: Place a large skillet over medium heat. Crumble in ground beef and saute 1 minute. Add onion and carrot, then continue to saute until meat is no longer pink and onion begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Mix in flour, cinnamon, mixed herbs, and parsley.
• In a small bowl, combine beef broth and tomato paste. Mix together, then add to beef mixture. Add salt and pepper to taste. Lower heat and simmer mixture for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until almost all of liquid has been absorbed. Spoon mixture into a 9 inch pie plate.
• To Make Potato Topping: Place diced potatoes in a medium saucepan. Cover with water and place over high heat. Allow to come to a boil. Boil for 15 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. Drain.
• Mash potatoes until smooth, then add butter or margarine, followed by milk. Whip until fluffy. Add salt and pepper to taste. Spread potatoes over beef filling. Sprinkle with grated Cheddar cheese.
• Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes, until top is browned and cheese is bubbly.

ENGLISH PASTRY CRUST FOR MEAT CASSEROLES

Steps:

• Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt.
• Mix shortening into hot water until melted. Add yolk and blend well.
• Add liquid mixture to flour mixture. Mix well.
• Place in bowl, cover with plastic wrap and chill several hours or overnight.
• When ready to use, preheat oven to 425 degs.
• Divide out 3/4 of the dough and pat firmly as a lining for a 2 qt (8-inch) casserole dish.
• Fill with whatever filling mixture you desire. (NOTE: Be sure meat is already cooked meat! You are reheating the filling, not cooking sufficiently long enough to cook raw meat!).
• Roll out (or pat out) between two sheets of wax paper, remaining dough to use as top crust.
• Lay the top crust over the casserole, carefully removing the wax paper.
• Cut 3-4 small slits for venting. Seal edges and trim. If you wish, you can brush with an egg wash, or spray with a "PAM" spray to help with browning.
• Bake casserole at 425 for 25 mins until crust is golden brown.

ENGLISH PASTRY FOR MEAT PIE

Steps:

• Put the flour in a mixing bowl.
• Combine the water, milk, lard and salt in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Let simmer until the lard melts.
• Add the liquid to the flour, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon to blend thoroughly. This dough should be shaped or rolled while it is still hot or quite warm.