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FLOUR
Piecrust can be made from all pastry flour, all blended flour or a combination or 2/3 blended and 1/3 cake flour, never from all cake flour. If you are a beginner, use the all-purpose flour first as it is more easily handled than the others.
FAT
Use any good fat, not too cold. Pack firmly into cup. Do not measure by water displacement method.
LIQUID
The quantity varies with the type of flour. We use Pillsbury's Best an all-purpose, blended flour in demonstration and all our tests are made with it. This flour takes from 2 1/2 to 3 tbs. brimming full for each cup of flour. Pastry flour and the combination of the two needs only 2 brimming tbs. per cup. Milk used in place of water does not change the texture of your crust but does give a much prettier brown at a lower temperature. For custard and pumpkin pies, and your nicest berry pies, sometime try the following and see if you do not like the results. Measure out the required amount of milk, and add an egg yolk, beating just enough to combine thoroughly. Another time try using lemon juice instead of milk with an egg yolk. Measurements should be brimming full.
RECIPE
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FLOUR ALL PURPOSE |
Fat |
Salt |
Liquid |
| For Shell |
1 cup |
1/3 cup |
¾ tsp |
2 ½ to 3 tbs |
| Double Crust |
1 ½ cups |
½ cup |
1 tsp |
¼ cup |
| Quantity |
3 cups |
1 cup |
2 tsp |
½ cup |
MAKING OF PIECRUST
Don't be scared. It is just piecrust.
a. Measure ingredients. See Fig. 1 at left. With dough blender, cut fat into flour until fine.
b. Add liquid, in several spots. There is no necessity of putting it in carefully. Toss the dry and wet together. Cut with blender, until all dry spots disappear, continually shaking back into the pan the dough that collects within the wires of the blender.
c. Turn onto the waxed paper. With corner of paper press dough from blender. See Fig. 2. Notice that the thumb is not used in this process, (Fig. 2).
 
d. Pressing on the outside of the paper, shape dough into firm ball. Completed, it is shown in Fig. 3. This dough may be used immediately or wrapped tightly in waxed paper, and stored in the refrigerator.
e. In Fig. 4, notice the canvas which is to be rubbed full of flour and the knit cover for the rolling pin which extends over the end of the pin and is also to be rubbed full of flour. Then the flour on the canvas should be rolled in with the floured pin. Use plenty of flour. If dough sticks, there is just one answer; you have not used enough flour. Rub rolling pin full of flour, INTO it, not just on the surface.
f. Roll dough from the center out, not pressing hard. By rolling this way, each time in a different direction, you will soon be able to keep the shape under control. It can be immediately cut for pie pan, but the VERY NICEST CRUST possible is made according to the directions for the ESPECIALLY FLAKY PIE CRUST turn to recipe 5.
g. This dough folded, and rolled the second time is much safer, if you fear a hole in the bottom crust. It is so little more work. Once you make it, you will do it every time for the custard and two crust pies. I suggest not folding for the baked shell.
h. TO MAKE SHELL turn to section step #101.
i. TO MAKE SHELL FOR CUSTARD PIE or any pie depending upon uncooked eggs for thickening, turn step #301. TO MAKE STRIP PIE TURN TO step #201.
ESPECIALLY FLAKY CRUST
Roll dough to about 1/8 inch thickness, then fold as shoen in picture, (Fig. 5) completing the square. Pat lightly with rolling pin to anchor the layers and roll out again to desired thickness.
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