Perfect Pie Crust

Thanksgiving means PIES in our house! Pumpkin, of course, but we also usually have a couple of other varieties, like pecan, apple, or cherry crumb. And, in my humble opinion, and, at the risk of offending a few people, I think every Thanksgiving pie deserves a homemade pie crust. No two ways about it, they just taste better! And, since I have to eat gluten-free, if I want pie, I have to make my own crust. Here's my choice for the best pie crust recipe I've found (so far!)  It makes four crusts, and you can freeze the extras to use another time. It's so handy to thaw one out and whip up a pie, even when it's not a special occasion. Any day can be a PIE DAY!

Perfect Pie Crust

4 c. flour
1 T. sugar
2 tsp salt
1 T. vinegar
1 ¾ c. shortening
1 large egg
½ c. water

Put the first three ingredients in a large bowl. Stir to combine.
Cut in the shortening with a pastry blender.
In a small bowl, beat together the vinegar, egg, and water.
Combine the two mixtures, stirring lightly with a fork until all ingredients are moist.
May be refrigerated for up to 3 days before using. Or may be frozen.
Makes 4 single pie shells, or 2 double 9” pie crusts plus 1 single pie shell.

Recipe Notes:

- Adjust the liquid if needed so that the dough just holds together. It should not be sticky.

- Rolling out pie crust is really easy if you place it between two sheets of plastic wrap. Roll to the desired thickness then peel away the top layer of plastic, lift the dough using the bottom piece of plastic wrap, flip it over, and position it in the pie plate. Peel away the plastic wrap and finish pressing the dough into the plate. Crimp the edges and fill the crust.

Coming later this week ...

"The Mom's Apple Pie to End All Mom's Apple Pies"