Peggys Pie Crust Recipes

PERFECT PIE CRUST

Steps:

• Cut each stick of butter into 8 pieces, and refrigerate until needed. Place the flour, salt, and sugar in a large mixing bowl, and mix to combine.
• Add the chilled butter. Using a pastry blender, incorporate the butter into the flour mixture; the mixture should resemble coarse meal with small pieces of butter, the size of small peas, remaining visible.
• Drizzle 2 tablespoons ice water over the flour-butter mixture, and blend. Repeat with an additional 2 tablespoons water. At this point, you may have to add more water: When a handful of dough squeezed together just holds its shape, you've added enough; if the dough crumbles, continue incorporating water, 1 tablespoon at a time, checking the consistency after each additional tablespoon.
• Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface. Divide into two equal pieces, and place on two separate sheets of plastic wrap. Flatten, and form two disks. Wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
• Lightly dust a clean, dry work surface with flour. Place the chilled dough in the center of the work surface, and dust the dough as well as the rolling pin with flour. Position the rolling pin on the center of the disk, and begin rolling the dough away from you. Give the disk a quarter turn, and roll again. Continue turning and rolling until you have an even 1/8-inch thickness. Turning the dough as you roll will prevent it from sticking to the work surface. A dry pastry brush is handy to remove any excess flour during and after the rolling process.
• Lightly butter the pie plate. To minimize stretching when moving the dough, roll it around the pin, lift up, and unroll over the buttered pie plate. Using your fingers, gently pat the dough into place. Trim any excess dough with a paring knife or kitchen shears, leaving a 1-inch overhang; then fold dough under to reinforce the edge.

PEGGY'S FOOLPROOF PIE CRUST

Steps:

• Cut shortening and lard into the flour and salt mixture until it is in a small pea sized lumps.
• Combine the egg, ice water,and vingar.
• Lightly fork into the flour/shortening mixture.
• Pat into two balls.
• Wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for awhile.
• Roll out on a well floured surface.
• Makes 1 double pie crust or 2 single pie crust.
• Bake as directed for pie.

PEGGY'S PECAN PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• To Make Crust: In a medium bowl, combine flour, salt and white sugar.
• Cut butter into flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs.
• Gradually sprinkle the water over the dry mixture, stirring until dough comes together enough to form a ball.
• On a floured surface flatten dough ball with rolling pin.
• Roll out into a circle that is one inch larger than pie dish.
• Place pie shell into dish and refrigerate until pie filling is complete.
• To Make Pie Filling: In a medium bowl, mix together eggs, light and dark corn syrups, brown sugar, butter, salt and finely crushed pecans.
• Spread quartered pecans over bottom of refrigerated pie crust.
• Pour syrup mixture over top of pecans, then arrange pecan halves on top of pie.
• Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for one hour or until firm.
• Cool pie for one hour before serving.
• Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.