Best Pie Crust!

I made a pie a couple of weeks ago, and I have to say that it was the best pie that I have ever made. I didn't have a very good pie crust recipe, so I googled an easy recipe. There were hundreds of  recipes that had tons and tons of ingredients that simply did not have. So I went to food networks website and searched pie crusts, and lo and behold Paula Deen's was the easiest pie crust that I could find. The dough was AMAZING! I chilled it overnight instead of 30 minutes. The dough was really hard so I just held it in my hands for a minute or two and then I started to knead until it got soft enough that I could roll it out. This recipe makes two 9-inch pie crusts (a top and a bottom). I got three 3 1/2 inch pies (so 6 pieces. 3 tops and 3 bottoms). I made a berry pie, I put them in the oven for about 6 minutes then pulled them out and put an egg wash on the top and sides then sprinkled them with sugar. They were in the oven for a total of 10-15 minutes. They came out golden brown and very flaky. In other words they were delicious. 

The one on the top is the bottom and the one of the bottom is the top. The top piece had a vent hole

This is a filled and finished pie. (Before baking)

These are the three pies. Aren't they pretty?

 

I have decided to include the pie crust recipe. 

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt

• 3 tablespoons granulated white sugar

• 1/4 cup vegetable shortening, cold

• 12 tablespoons butter, cold and cubed

• 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup ice water

Directions

Have fun making the pie crust! Like I said it is super easy to make.

Paula Deen's Pie Crust

I used a food processor to make the dough. It cuts down the time and its easier to clean (well I think so).  

In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, salt and sugar. Add the shortening and break it up with your hands as you start to coat it all up with the flour. Add the cold butter cubes and work it into the flour with your hands or a pastry cutter. Work it quickly, so the butter doesn't get too soft, until the mixture is crumbly, like very coarse cornmeal. Add the ice water, a little at a time, until the mixture comes together forming a dough. Bring the dough together into a ball.

When it comes together stop working it otherwise the dough will get over-worked and tough. Divide thedough in half and flatten it slightly to form a disk shape. Wrap each disk in plastic and chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes. On a floured surface roll each disk out into a 10 to 11-inch circle to make a 9-inch pie.