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Basic pie crust recipe

Basic pie crust recipe | casaveneracion.com

You can have the best pie filling but if the crust isn’t tasty and flaky, then the pie is still a failure. That’s the thing about pies — the crust is just as important as the filling.

This is a recipe for a double-crust pie. Use only half of the ingredients for a single-crust pie.

Basic pie crust recipe

Basic pie crust recipe

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Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Author: Connie Veneracion

Ingredients

  • 2 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup butter chilled and cut into small pieces
  • 1/2 cup vegetable shortening (I use Crisco)
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons sugar depending on how sweet you want your crust
  • 1/4 cup ice cold water

Instructions

  • In a bowl, stir together the flour, salt and sugar. Add the butter and shortening.
  • Cut the butter and shortening into the flour (I do this by rubbing with my fingers) until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
    A recipe for a double-crust pie with step-by-step illustrated instructions on making and rolling dough, laying it on the pie dish and trimming the edges.
  • Add ice cold water, little by little, mixing as you go until the dough can be gathered into a ball. The dough should NOT be sticky.
    A recipe for a double-crust pie with step-by-step illustrated instructions on making and rolling dough, laying it on the pie dish and trimming the edges.
  • Divide the dough into two portions, one slightly larger than the other.
  • Take the larger portion and roll between two large pieces of baking (wax) paper, starting at the center and rolling outward in all directions. Keep rolling until the dough is less than a quarter of an inch thick.
    A recipe for a double-crust pie with step-by-step illustrated instructions on making and rolling dough, laying it on the pie dish and trimming the edges.
  • Remove the top layer of wax paper. Lift the dough by holding the edges of the bottom piece of wax paper and invert onto the pie dish. Peel off the wax paper and pat the dough to fit into the dish snugly.
  • Roll the remaining piece of dough but keep it covered with wax paper.
  • When the filling has been poured into the dough-lined pie pan, remove the top piece of wax paper from the prepared smaller crust. Hold the bottom piece by the edges to lift the crust and invert it over the filling. Trim the top crust so that the overhang is a bit longer than that of the bottom crust. The longer overhang of the top crust makes folding and sealing easier and it prevents the formation of a too thick crust along the edges.
    A recipe for a double-crust pie with step-by-step illustrated instructions on making and rolling dough, laying it on the pie dish and trimming the edges.
  • Fold the overhang of both the top and bottom crusts, pressing them tucking underneath. Crimp the edges: Place your left thumb on the edge of the crust. Place the thumb and forefinger of your right hand on top of the crust to within half an inch of the left thumb (do the reverse if you’re left-handed). Push your left thumb inward while your right thumb and forefinger push outward. Keep doing this until the edges of the crust are uniformly crimped.
  • Take a thin knife and punch slits all over the top crust. You can also use a fork. This is not for decorative purposes but to create holes to let steam from the filling escape. Otherwise, the top crust will bubble up and create a space between it and the filling.
    A recipe for a double-crust pie with step-by-step illustrated instructions on making and rolling dough, laying it on the pie dish and trimming the edges.
  • Next, beat and egg with a little milk. Brush the mixture all over the top crust including the edges.
  • Your pie is now ready to go into the oven.
Published on 08/20/2009 ♥ Last updated on 04/02/2018 ♥ See more in Kitchen & Pantry·
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. happy joy

    08/20/2009 at 12:43 pm

    Ms. Connie, pwede kaya na gamitin yung dough recipe na ‘to sa paggawa ng empanada? I-double or triple ko lang yung measurements para dumami yung dough?

  3. KPR

    10/14/2009 at 9:25 pm

    Hello Ms Connie! I tried several of your recipes and it was a sure hit! My family loved it! Now I want to try to make desserts for them however I only have a small convection oven which has a max of 250 degrees lang in temp. For example, if it says in the recipe that I need 350 degrees & cook it for 30mins, can I still use my small oven and cook it for an hour instead of 30mins? Please advise. Thanks and more power!

      • KPR

        10/14/2009 at 9:44 pm

        Hi Ms Connie! There’s actually no thermostat setting. Just a dial knob in which you can set the temp to 250degrees (maximum temp). It’s actually a roaster, toaster and convection oven in 1. Any suggestions?

        • Connie

          10/14/2009 at 11:16 pm

          You mean an oven toaster? There are ready mixes meant for oven toasters. But most baking projects require an oven with thermostat control.

  4. jhen

    02/26/2010 at 1:28 am

    miss connie pede ko po ba gamitin itong recipe niyo sa 12 inch pie pan? tnx po!

  6. jhen

    02/28/2010 at 1:42 am

    sori po ms.connie di ko po nabasa agad na para sa 12 inch pie pan itong recipe… tnx po ulit…

  7. Charo Adriano

    12/09/2010 at 12:12 pm

    Hi Connie,
    I came across your website just this year and I cannot help reminiscing during my Senior year high in Culinary. You approach was just simple and that’s how my teachers thought in baking and in cooking. Now I miss baking and will have to brush off my skills again. I must admit I now compile your recipe for family consumption.
    Thank you for creating this website it truly those who love food :)

  8. aiknarf

    03/24/2013 at 4:37 pm

    Good day! Starter plang po ako sa baking..I’m trying to learn o my own.. if i use vegetable oil instead of vegetable shortening can it work?

    • Connie Veneracion

      03/24/2013 at 4:42 pm

      The starting point in baking is to familiarize yourself with ingredients and how they work. You think you can “cut in” vegetable oil into the flour?

    • Joy

      09/27/2013 at 4:41 pm

      Aiknarf, first time i tried this dough recipe, I substituted vegetable shortening with vegetable oil. Failed! So i learned my lesson and tried it again with shortening, and I succeeded! :)

  9. Elona

    04/11/2015 at 1:31 pm

    Hello Maam Connie.

    Thank you po sa mga recipe. I love it.
    Maam Connie ,gusto ko po itong gamitin ang crust recipe for my baked emapanada paano po kung wala akong vegetable shortening ( CRISCO)kasi wala po dito sa location ko. . ano pong gagawin ko to substitute it. Pls. give me an idea po. My husband ask me to bake empanada.

    Hope to hear from you. Thank you po.

    elona