Thanksgiving is one week away! We are spending it with my husband's sister and her husband, who were married four months before us. Two semi-newlywed couples in the kitchen putting together a Thanksgiving meal (for the first time, all on our own!) should be very fun, and fun-ny! We can't wait, and I will certainly be bringing a copy of Finger Lakes Feast along to guide me.
I thought I'd write about pie crust today. Do you make your own? I imagine many of you already do, but if not, I urge you to try it this year! The fresh flavor and crispy flakiness of homemade pie crust is unrivaled. Here is our family's recipe, as found in our cookbook:
Real Pie Crust
1 1/2 cups flour
A pinch of salt
1/2 cup shortening
1/3 cup cold water
In a small to medium-sized bowl, combine the flour and salt. Cut the shortening into the mixture, using a pastry cutter. Do this until all of the shortening is the size of little peas, or smaller.
Add the cold water and quickly whisk the dough with a fork until it forms into a soft lump. Do not overmix.
Place the dough on a well-floured surface and split into two halves. Gently mold it into a round ball using your hands, and when it is well-formed, begin to roll it out with a floured rolling pin.
The key in rolling is not to press down too hard onto the dough. Simply roll it and allow it to take its time in stretching. Flip it often, dusting flour underneath to prevent it from sticking to the counter.
When the dough is about 1/8-inch thick, fold it over on itself, gently pick it up, and lay it across your pie pan. Unfold it and let it take the shape of the pan.
Place your filling inside, and add the top crust (or for an open-faced pie like pumpkin or pecan, you can use the top crust for another pie).
Cut around the dish to trim away any overhanging dough, then seal the top and botton crust together by pinching them at the edges (again, for an open-faced pie, just crimp the edges of the bottom crust onto the pie pan).
(Recipe makes one 9-inch top-and-bottom-crust pie, or two 9-inch open-faced pies)
Won't this new pie dish I found look beautiful against the brown sugariness of pecan pie,
or the orange spiciness of pumpkin pie?
And I can promise you that this pie crust will make your families so happy. You should hear the thank-yous my mom always gets from my brothers! It's just so delicious. Happy baking to you all!
