A Little Class on Pie Pastry

Just the thought of making a pie crust from scratch can make some, if not many, people twitch and shy away from even trying. Not that store bought pie crust is a bad thing, but making your own is more economical and has far less chemicals in it. (See my recipe on basic pie crust) It's a little like alchemy - taking simple ingredients and creating a flaky pastry that is the basis for sweet and savory dishes. So, to help you be successful in this project, here are a few tips I've learned through years of experience:

1. Make sure your flour and other ingredients are not outdated. The "sell" or "use by" dates are important.
2. Keep your shortening or butter very cold until you are ready to use it. Warm ingredients will make the pastry mushy, trust me.
3. The best way to incorporate the shortening or butter into the flour mix is to use a pastry cutter. You want the mixture to look like small peas.
4. Your liquid should also be ice cold. I use a variety of liquids when making pie crust depending on the application and always follow my own rule. And most important - I have found that many pastry recipes do not provide an accurate amount of fluid which brings this all together. Instead, many recipes require much more liquid than stated.
5. Don't overwork the pie crust. This is not like kneading bread so keep a light touch as you use your fork to combine the liquid into the flour/shortening mix. Overworking the pie crust will lead to a very tough crust because the air bubbles have been eliminated.
6. The crust is ready to be rolled out when it comes together in a rough ball in the bowl; moist but not sticky.
7. Roll the crust out on a lightly floured surface. Three or four times one way, pick it up, turn it over and roll it again, ensuring that flour remains under the crust. Repeat as needed. The dough should be elastic enough for you to pick it up without it falling apart as you place it in the pie plate.
8. Finally, the pie pastry is the cheapest part of the dish. If it's not coming together, throw it out and try again. Don't lose heart!