Double-Crust Pie Pastry

This pastry recipe makes enough crust for a 9-inch pot pie or an apple pie or cherry pie with lattice crust. You can also use this recipe to make two 9-inch pie crusts when you don't need a crust on top (such as for key lime pie or pecan pie or apple pie with a crumb topping). All of these pies pictured were made using this crust recipe and doubling it. (Pecan is on top, cherry in the middle and apple with a crumb topping is on the bottom. Pie recipes will follow on a future post.)

Mix 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour with 1 teaspoon salt. Use a pastry blender to cut in 3/4 cup shortening. Do not use butter. (Crisco with trans fat works best for a flakier crust.) Sprinkle 5 to 6 Tablespoons milk over the dough and stir with a fork. I prefer to add 2 Tablespoons of milk at a time and then stir until the dough is moistened and begins to hold together. Form into two balls. Roll out on a floured surface. Line the pie pan with the crust. Sprinkle with sugar (leave out the sugar if you're making a pot pie).

If you want a lattice look for the top crust, roll the crust into a rectangle (or oval). Use a scalloped pastry cutter to cut long strips of pastry. After filling the crust with fruit, layer 4-5 strips on top, across the pie pan. Layer 4-5 more strips perpendicular to the first ones. Pinch the rim of the crust or, for a different look, use a fork to press the rim of the crust.

Bake your pie as directed. Cover the pie crust edges with strips of foil after 20-30 minutes. The foil will keep the crust edges from burning.