Sometimes the reason folks have trouble with their pie crusts having the texture of cardboard is that they handle it like bread dough. KNEADING is a bad thing for pie crust. Mix ingredients with a fork until they just come together then handle ever so carefully to roll out for the pie tin. Folks like my crusts well enough they have been buying my pies for holidays for the last several years. Here is a recipe that I have used for 25+ years very successfully.
Ingredients make a double 9" pie crust 2 cups flour 3/4 cup butter flavor Crisco 1/2 tsp salt 1/4 cup tap water
Measure flour into sifter and add salt, sift the two together into a bowl with the 3/4 c of shortening. Cut together with a pastry blender or two knives until crumbly. Add 1/4 cup water and mix with a fork until just blended. DO NOT OVER HANDLE. Roll half the dough to desired thickness, should not be more than 1/4 inch (thinner is better). Place into pie tin. Fill with your favorite fruit filling top with other rolled out crust and bake.
Here is a tip, if you do not have wax paper to roll out your dough, use a cereal box liner. Just cut the sealed edges off the top and bottom and open down the long seam. This works great and you save a little money too.
Another tip, don't like that your dough and wax paper seemed to slide when you try to roll out your crust? Sprinkle some water on the counter then place your wax paper (cereal box liner) on the water. It makes the paper stick to the counter just enough so it won't slide.
This never fail pie crust will get plenty of compliments for the cook.....even if she cannot make a good pie crust. I am one of those. My pie crust always was like shoe leather until I found this recipe, and have been using it and sharing it for 40 years. This also freezes well. I make extra and divide, for two crusts, roll into a ball, flatten slightly and wrap in foil. To prevent ice crystals or freezer burn, place the foil wrapped packages in a ziplock bag. Will keep for several months Never Fail Pie Crust (enough for a double crust pie)
3 cups flour 1 and 1/4 cups shortening, * 1 teaspoon salt 1 egg, well beaten 5 Tablespoons water 1 Tablespoon vinegar Cut shortening into flour until finely crumbled and add salt. Combine egg water and vinegar. Make a well in the flour and add wet ingredients all at once. Blend with a fork until flour is moist and dough forms a ball. *Blue Bonnet margarine works well in place of shortening...easy to measure. This dough can be rerolled without being tough, so you can use scraps to make another crust or to cover a pot pie.To make a prebaked pie shell, make a foil form. After you put your crust in the pan, set the foil form in and fill with dried beans. Bake 15 minutes, then lift out form and beans carefully and continue to bake crust until golden brown. Harlean from Arkansas
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