Mamas Pie Crust Recipes

MAMA THORNTON'S PEACH PIE

Steps:

• Cook's Note: You can increase the amount of sugar to 1 1/4 cups, depending upon the sweetness of the peaches. Peak summer peaches will only need 1 cup.
• For the crust: In a food processor, combine the flour, sugar, salt and cold butter.
• Pulse the processor until the mixture resembles fine sand. Remove the lid and add the ice water to the mixture. Run the processor just until the mixture rolls itself into a little ball. If the mixture is a bit dry, add more ice water by the tablespoonful until it comes together. Gather the dough into a ball. With a bench scraper or knife, divide the mixture evenly in half. Shape each half into a disk. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap and chill at least 30 minutes. At this point you can keep the wrapped dough in the refrigerator for a few days or freeze for later use.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Flour your rolling pin and roll out 1 pie crust to about a 12-inch round and drape over a 9 1/2-inch fluted pie plate. Roll out the other pie crust to about a 10-inch round, and cut this into 1-inch strips with a fluted pizza cutter.
• For the filling: Peel and cut the peaches into 1/4-inch thick slices (you should have about 7 cups) and toss with the lemon juice and almond extract in a large bowl. Whisk the flour, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in another bowl, making sure there are no lumps. Stir the flour mixture into the peaches and mix well. Pour the peaches into the pie crust. Scatter with the pieces of butter. Top with the lattice strips. Brush away any flour underneath the lattice to make sure it seals well. Crimp the edges to seal. Beat the egg with 1 teaspoon water and brush the lattice and edges with the egg wash.
• Pop in the oven and bake for 10 minutes, and then lower the heat to 350 degrees F and bake until the crust gets brown, about 50 minutes more. If the edges brown too fast, cover them with strips of aluminum foil about halfway through baking. Cool about 30 minutes before serving.

MOM'S PIE CRUST

Steps:

• Combine flour and sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer. Cut butter into tablespoon pieces; add it to the flour and butter. Use the paddle beater to cut the butter and flour together. Alternatively, this can be done by hand with a pastry blender.
• With the mixer on low speed , or while stirring the mixture with a fork, pour in the cold water. When the dough starts to clump, and before it turns into a ball, stop stirring.
• Lightly knead dough in the bowl until it forms a ball. Divide dough into two parts. Flatten each part into a disk, and chill for about 30 minutes before rolling.

ALL-BUTTER PIE DOUGH

Steps:

• Cut the butter into 1/2-inch (13-mm) cubes. Freeze 5 Tbsp. (70 grams) for 20 minutes or overnight; chill the remaining 1 1/8 sticks in the refrigerator until ready to use.
• Stir the red wine vinegar into the cold water and set aside.
• Combine the flour, salt, and sugar in the bowl of a food processor and pulse 5 or 6 times to combine.
• Add the chilled butter and mix for 25 to 30 seconds, until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
• Add the frozen butter and pulse 15 to 20 times, until the butter is in pea-sized pieces.
• Add 6 tablespoons of the vinegar water and pulse 6 times. The dough should start to look crumbly. Test the dough by squeezing a small amount in the palm of your hand. If it easily holds together, it is done. If not, add 1/2 Tbsp. of the vinegar water and pulse 3 more times. Repeat this process as needed until the dough holds together.
• Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead together until smooth; dough should never come together in the food processor.
• Divide the dough into 2 equal parts and roll each into a ball. Flatten the balls slightly and wrap separately in plastic wrap. Let the dough rest in the refrigerator until ready to use, at least 20 minutes but preferably overnight.

RUTH'S GRANDMA'S PIE CRUST

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, combine all-purpose flour, shortening, sugar, and salt. Blend together with a pastry cutter until crumbly.
• In a small bowl, mix egg with water. Blend into flour mixture. Chill in refrigerator until ready to use.

MAMA'S FRIED PIES

Steps:

• Cook fruit in water until tender. Drain and mix with sugar and margarine. Mash well. Refrigerate overnight if possible. Roll out homemade piecrust dough and cut into saucer-sized circles.
• Spoon fruit onto circles and fold over into crescent shapes, then close the edges completely with a fork. Fry until golden brown. Place fried pies on paper towels to absorb excess oil.
• Variations: For baked pies, place crescents on a lightly-greased baking sheet in a 400 degree oven until golden brown.
• For apple pies, use dried apples and add apple pie spice (or nutmeg and cinnamon) and vanilla to taste.
• For prune pies, use dry, pitted prunes and add vanilla to taste.
• Place the flour and a dash of salt in a mixing bowl. Add the shortening and cut it in with a pastry blender or use your hands, as I do. Add the water, a teaspoon at a time, kneading until the dough is smooth.

MOM'S PIE CRUST

Steps:

• Mix flour and salt in medium size bowl.
• Cut in shortening with pastry blender until uniform with pieces no larger than a pea.
• Break egg into measuring cup and beat.
• Add milk to egg to just over 1/2 cup (about 1/2 cup plus a table spoon total milk and egg) stir well.
• Blend egg and milk mixture into flour mixture with a fork until liquid is no longer present.
• Very lightly knead dough and form into a ball (Over working the dough is the most common reason for pie crust failure!).
• Cut Dough in half.
• Roll out and use with your favorite filling. Makes a top and bottom crust. divide recipe in half for a single crust pie.

MAMA'S SPAGHETTI PIE

Steps:

• Cook spaghetti according to package directions; drain. In a small bowl, combine the pasta, egg and Parmesan cheese. Press onto the bottom and up the sides of a 7-in. pie plate or shallow 2-cup round baking dish coated with cooking spray; set aside., Crumble sausage into a small skillet; add onion. Cook over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the tomato sauce, sour cream and Italian seasoning. Spoon into crust., Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 15-20 minutes or until heated through. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese; bake 2-3 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Serve immediately.