Breathing
Today is Pie Day. Daughter has planned all the pies we shall make this afternoon: pumpkin, pecan, blueberry, cherry, maybe apple. We shall eat pie all weekend.
***
Harry Potter IV was very enjoyable. Saw it last night, on a date with my beloved, after going out together to a delicious dinner at the Thai Kitchen, on north Main in Longmont. I highly recommend this surprising little restaurant.
***
My Mom's Basic Pie Crust
For every shell (a top or bottom crust counts as one shell) you need:
1 c. flour
1/3 t. salt
1/3 c. chilled shortening (I prefer butter Crisco)
3 T. COLD water (in Colorado, where everything is so DRY, I find it needs a somewhat more than this)
You also need a rolling pin and a fine-weave cloth (I like flour-sack tea-towels from the farm-supply store).
In bowl, combine flour & salt. Cut shortening into flour mixture using fork, pastry blender, or electric mixer, until it is grainy like cornmeal (don't mix together so that it gets doughy - if you do, you've gone too far and need to start over).
Sprinkle the COLD water over the flour mixture, and with clean hands gently reach down to the bottom of the bowl and turn over the flour so that the water gets to all of it. This is the tricky part, because you have to do it very very gently so as not to develop the gluten. Continue adding water and gently hand stirring until the dough just barely holds together in a ball. Cover dough with a clean towel, and allow to rest for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, spread the cloth on a clear counter, and spread a handful of flour on it. Use your hand to rub the flour across and into the cloth. Now take the ball of dough and place it in the middle of the cloth. Push down gently on the center of the ball, so that it begins to flatten into a circle. Sprinkle the top of the dough with a little more flour, and use the rolling pin to roll the dough into an 11 or 12 inch circle.
Place the rolling pin on the dough, about 1/3 the circle diameter away from you, and using the towel, lift the dough over the pin, and then let the towel lay back down on the table as you roll the dough onto the pin. Carry the dough on the pin over to the pie plate, and starting from the side of the plate away from you, unroll the dough onto the pie plate.
Press dough into the pan, and cut off the dough that hangs over the edges. Using your fingers, pinch the sides into a zig-zag shape.
Fill the crust with filling of choice, and bake. (Different kinds of pie need different baking times, but a general rule of thumb is bake at 400 degrees until lightly browned.)
Oh, and all those bits you cut off the edges? Lay those on a cookie sheet, and bake at 400 for about 10 minutes. Upon removal, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Mmmm.... (this is what you eat while waiting for thanksgiving day).
***
Harry Potter IV was very enjoyable. Saw it last night, on a date with my beloved, after going out together to a delicious dinner at the Thai Kitchen, on north Main in Longmont. I highly recommend this surprising little restaurant.
***
My Mom's Basic Pie Crust
For every shell (a top or bottom crust counts as one shell) you need:
1 c. flour
1/3 t. salt
1/3 c. chilled shortening (I prefer butter Crisco)
3 T. COLD water (in Colorado, where everything is so DRY, I find it needs a somewhat more than this)
You also need a rolling pin and a fine-weave cloth (I like flour-sack tea-towels from the farm-supply store).
In bowl, combine flour & salt. Cut shortening into flour mixture using fork, pastry blender, or electric mixer, until it is grainy like cornmeal (don't mix together so that it gets doughy - if you do, you've gone too far and need to start over).
Sprinkle the COLD water over the flour mixture, and with clean hands gently reach down to the bottom of the bowl and turn over the flour so that the water gets to all of it. This is the tricky part, because you have to do it very very gently so as not to develop the gluten. Continue adding water and gently hand stirring until the dough just barely holds together in a ball. Cover dough with a clean towel, and allow to rest for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, spread the cloth on a clear counter, and spread a handful of flour on it. Use your hand to rub the flour across and into the cloth. Now take the ball of dough and place it in the middle of the cloth. Push down gently on the center of the ball, so that it begins to flatten into a circle. Sprinkle the top of the dough with a little more flour, and use the rolling pin to roll the dough into an 11 or 12 inch circle.
Place the rolling pin on the dough, about 1/3 the circle diameter away from you, and using the towel, lift the dough over the pin, and then let the towel lay back down on the table as you roll the dough onto the pin. Carry the dough on the pin over to the pie plate, and starting from the side of the plate away from you, unroll the dough onto the pie plate.
Press dough into the pan, and cut off the dough that hangs over the edges. Using your fingers, pinch the sides into a zig-zag shape.
Fill the crust with filling of choice, and bake. (Different kinds of pie need different baking times, but a general rule of thumb is bake at 400 degrees until lightly browned.)
Oh, and all those bits you cut off the edges? Lay those on a cookie sheet, and bake at 400 for about 10 minutes. Upon removal, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Mmmm.... (this is what you eat while waiting for thanksgiving day).
Comments