Pie Pastry

Pie Pastry

how do i make a pie pastry?

Here is a recipe I use. It makes enough dough for a two- crust pie.

2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted before measuring
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup shortening or 2/3 cup lard
4 to 5 tablespoons ice water

Sift flour with salt into medium bowl. With a pastry blender or two knives, using a short, cutting motion, cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Quickly sprinkle ice water, one tablespoon at a time, over all of pastry mixture, tossing lightly with fork after each addition and pushing dampened portion to side of bowl; sprinkle only dry portion remaining. (Pastry should be just moist enough to hold together, not sticky.) Shape pastry into a ball; wrap in wax paper and refrigerate until ready to use.

My Pecan Pie recipe and thoughts on Pecan Nut Crackers

Thanksgiving simply is not complete without homemade pecan pie for dessert. What is even better than that? Knowing those pecans were freshly cracked and shelled that day! This seems like a lot of work especially when you have 15 people coming over, a turkey in the oven, a house to clean and a lot of other things to do. You do not have time to hand crack and pick out the pecan meat.

I have found that there is no other way out there to get the job done than with the Duke Easy Pecan Nut Cracker. It was even featured on the Martha Stewart Show! Sometimes it is called the Reed Rocket Pecan Nut Cracker, but it is the same product. I love my pecan nut cracker because it is easy to use, really affordable and effective. My kids love this nut cracker and I love for them to use it because I never worry about them smashing their fingers. It is adjustable, but you can never completely close it. The pecan is never crushed because you can adjust how much pressure you put on the lever. This pecan cracker will eliminate your need for a nut pick, making the process of cracking pecans faster and more enjoyable. You can use this pecan nut cracker on other nuts like a large English walnut or an almond. It is made from a sturdy metal construction that comes already mounted to a hardwood board. It is easy to assemble, just turn the handle clockwise until tight and it is ready for unlimited use. It measures 16 inches in length including the handle so it can be easily stored away in a cabinet or drawer. I have found it listed online for a low price of $13.99 at the Nut Crackers page on Red Hill General Store! The Duke's Easy Pecan Nut Cracker would make a great Mother's Day, Father's Day, Birthday or Christmas gift for any member of your family.

I've included a homemade pecan pie recipe featuring freshly shelled pecans. Happy Holidays to you and your family!

Ingredients: 1 (9 inch) pie shell, pre-baked 10-12 minutes ¾ cup white sugar ¾ cup light corn syrup 3 eggs, beaten 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 pinch salt 1 cup freshly chopped pecans

Pre-Baked Pie Crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. With a fork, prick pastry piecrust shell in several places. Place foil over pie crust, allowing the pie crust edges to be exposed. Fill the crust with dried beans or rice to keep the pie pastry flat while baking. Bake for 10-12 minutes, remove and cool.

Preparation: 1. Combine sugar, corn syrup, eggs, vanilla and salt in a large bowl 2. Add pecans and coat nuts well 3. Pour pecan pie filling into pie shell 4. Bake 30 minutes, check to see if piecrust is getting too brown, if so cover edges with foil. Bake another 15 minutes 5. Do not over bake. Remove when pie filling is firm around edges, slightly soft but set in the center 6. Serve warm with vanilla ice creamRuby Campbell

About the Author

Ruby Campbell

How-to make Pie Pastry Dough