Grandma's 3-Ingredient, Flaky, Savory Pie Crust for Savory or Sweet Pie Fillings
A good, basic pie crust only needs flour, fat, and liquid. Grandma's pie crust is that simple with the added salt. The key to a good crust lies in the continuous cold ingredients prior to baking. If on a budget or looking for a basic crust to have on hand in the freezer for any filling, this one fits the bill.
Servings: 8 slices
Ingredients
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ tsp salt
- ½ cup cold shortening placed in fridge overnight or ~30 minutes before beginning recipe
- 4-5 tbsp ICE cold water ice and water in a measuring glass
Instructions
- Place shortening in the refrigerator. Add ice and ½ cup of water to a glass and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Use a pastry cutter to cut in the shortening until the mixture resembles small peas or course cornmeal (according to my southern grandma).
- Add 1 tablespoon of water at a time using a fork to toss the dry and wet together. Push the mixture against the side of the bowl to ensure the water moistens the ingredients. Continue adding water until all the mixture is just moistened.
- Remove the dough and wrap it loosely in plastic wrap. Form the dough into a disk and place it in the fridge for 20 minutes.
- Lightly flour a parchment-lined work surface. Remove the dough from the fridge, unwrap it, and place it on the parchment. Pressing hard, roll dough from the center to the edges rotating the parchment paper until you have at least 2 inches beyond your pie plate perimeter. If using a 9-inch pie plate, roll the dough to 12-14 inches in diameter.
- To prevent the dough from stretching, fold the dough in half and then in half again. Use the parchment paper to fold over the dough. Pick it up carefully and unfold it in the pie plate. Leave a minimum of ½ inch of dough beyond the pie plate. Use a knife or kitchen shears to cut off any extra dough beyond the 2 inches needed for decoration. Fold the remaining dough under to create a thick edge. Then, crimp or flute the edge to desired look. Place the formed pie crust back in the fridge for another 15-20 minutes to ensure that it’s good and cold when you place it in the oven.
- Remove the pie dough and add any fillings based on recipe directions. OR follow the blind bake or complete bake directions below.
- To blind bake a pie crust for baking with liquid ingredients, add a sheet of parchment paper or foil to cover the inside bottom of the dough and add on top pie weights, dried beans or dried rice. Bake at 425˚F (220˚C) for 10-15 minutes just until the dough is no longer raw and still pale. Remove the weights and paper and add the filling. Bake for the recipe’s directed time.
- To completely bake a pie crust for cold pies, bake the pie crust in the oven at 425˚F (220˚C) with a sheet of parchment paper or foil covering the inside bottom of the dough. Add weights, dried beans, or dried rice and bake for 17 to 20 minutes. Remove the parchment and “weights”. Continue to bake until the crust is evenly brown and looks crisp, which should take another 5 to 10 minutes.
Notes
*Double the recipe for making 2 pie crusts.
*You can roll the dough between 2 sheets of parchment paper or 2 sheets of plastic wrap (requires no flour).
Variation for a more flavorful crust:
-Use half shortening and half butter.
-Replace water with sour cream using 1/2 the amount.
-Use ice cold milk in place of water. Keep milk refrigerated up to 5 minutes before using it. Add ice cubes to a glass and add milk until you reach ½ cup. Do this for the last 5 minutes before you add it to the pie dough.
-Add 1 tsp sugar for a little sweetness (even for savory pies).
To freeze: Once pie dough is shaped and in pie plate, wrap it well and freeze for up to a couple of months. Thaw in fridge overnight and follow recipe’s filling and baking directions.
Food Processor Directions: If in a hurry, you can use a food processor. Add the flour and salt, run the machine to combine them. Place the shortening over the top of the dry ingredients. Pulse until the mixture resembles small peas or course cornmeal. Add 3 tbsp of water through the chute at the top of the machine. Run the machine for 5-10 seconds add more water if needed and run only a few seconds more. Careful not to over mix the dough. As soon as the mixture is moistened, remove it and follow the remaining above directions from step 4.