Basic pastry
Don't handle this pastry dough any more than necessary or it will be tough: treat it firmly, not timidly, but don't fuss with it.
The flour and shortening should not be blended too well: it is the bits of shortening left in the dough that puff and expand during baking and give the pastry its flaky identity. For that reason, the dough cannot be mixed as successfully in a food processor.
Rolling and Shaping
Pie Doughs
Do not chill basic pastry before you roll it out; line the pie pan with it first and then refrigerate it. Let the bottom crust chill in the pie pan in the refrigerator while you prepare the filling and the pie crust.
Bottom crust
Divide the dough in half, if you have made enough for a two-crust pie, and pat each piece into a ball. Flatten one of the balls with the heel of your hand, keeping it round. Place it on a lightly floured board or on a pastry cloth and sprinkle the top with a little floured board or on a pastry cloth and sprinkle the top with a little flour.
Using a rolling pin, start in the center and roll lightly in all directions, lifting and turning the dough frequently to make sure it is not sticking to the board. Do not roll quite to the edge of the dough until the last few turns.If the dough seems to be sticking, dust the board with more flour.
Roll the dough until you have a round piece about 1/8 inch thick and 2 inches greater in diameter than the pie pan you plan to use.
Fold the dough in half and lift it gently into the pan with the fold in the center.
Unfold it and fit it to the pan, easing it in loosely without stretching it.
Pat it into all the edges then trim the xtra dought hanging over the edge so that it is 3/4 inch larger than the pan.Refrigerate the bottom crust until you are ready to fill and bake it.Pie ShellInstead of using a rolling pin when making a pie shell, you can pat the dough into a pie pan or springform pan with your fingers.For a two-crust pie, roll out the second piece of dough just like the first. Fill the bottom crust generously with the pie filling then fold the dough for the top crust in half and gently lift it onto the filling with the fold in the center. Unfold it and trim it so that the dough for both crusts extends over the rim of the pan by about 3/4 inch. Press the edges of the top and bottom crusts together, tucking the top one over the bottom one to make a think edge. Crimp the edges with the tines of a form or flute them with your fingers. Prick the top with a form in several places or cut vents or a small design or two so that steam can escape while the pie is baking.For a crisp bottom crust, be sure to bake pies on the lowest rack of a thoroughly preheated oven.Note: for glass or ceramic pie pans...bake at about 25ş less oven heat than the receipe recommends. Foil pans tend to overheat because they are so thin.For two-crust pie:8": 2 c. flour, 1/2 t. salt; 2/3 c. shortening; 1/2 c. cold water9": 2 1/2 c. flour; 1/2 t. salt; 3/4 c. shortening; 6-7 T. cold waterMis flour and salt. Cut in shortening with pastry blender or two knives. Combine lightly only until mixture resembles coarse meal or very tiny peas: its texture will not be uniform but will contain crumbs and small bits and pieces. Sprinkle water over the flour mixture, a tablespoon at a time, and mix lightly with a fork, using only enough water so that the pastry will hold together when pressed gently into a ball.Pie filling:3/4-1 c. sugar 1/2 t. nutmeg (optional)1/2 t. salt 1 1/2 T. flour1 t. cinnamon (optional) 6-8 large, firm, tart apples (c. 10 cups) 2 T butterPreheat oven to 425ş F. Line a pie pan with half the pastry dough. Mix the sugar, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and flour in a large bowl. Peel, core, and slice the apples and toss them in the sugar mixture, coating them well. Pile them into the lined pan and dot with the butter. Roll out the top crust and drape it over the pie. Criomp the edges and cut several vents in the top. Bake 10 minutes, then lower the heat to 350şF and bake 30-40 minutes more or until apples are tender when pierced with a skewer and the crust is browned.Bon appetit!
