Old Fashioned Pie Crust From Scratch -

Pie crust with a design cut in the crust.

Equipment

Mixing bowl
Whisk
Rolling Pin
Fork or pastry cutter

Ingredients

1 cup All purpose flour
1 tsp Salt
½ cup Lard (Crisco or butter will also work)
¼ cup Ice water
1 tbsp granulated sugar (optional) If you are making a sweet pie and want a sweet crust add the sugar. For a more savory pie crust omit the sugar.

Instructions

Prepare the Dough
In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, salt, and sugar (if desired). Give it a quick whisk to evenly distribute the ingredients.
Incorporate the Lard
Add the lard to the flour mixture. Using a pastry cutter or your fingertips, cut the lard into pea-sized pieces until it resembles coarse crumbs. This step ensures that pockets of fat are distributed throughout for ultimate flakiness.
Add Water
Pour the water over the mixture. Using your hands work the dough together until you get a dough ball. Be careful not to overwork the dough as this can result in tough crusts.
Roll Out Your Crust
Lightly flour your work surface and rolling pin. Begin rolling out your crust from the center outward, rotating occasionally to maintain an even thickness of around ⅛ inch.
Fill Crust
Drape pie crust over a pie dish, generously poke holes in the bottom of the pie crust using a fork, and add your filling. Make another pie crust (this recipe makes only one pie crust, either top or bottom). Drape pie crust over the filling, trim the excess, and using a fork or your fingers crimp the edges. You can also cut a design in the center to add a vent. (Baking times for a filled pie will vary depending on the type of filling. Bake pie per filling recommendations.)
Bake Crust
If you are baking the pie crust first and filling it afterward bake at 425°F for 15 minutes.

Notes

You can create an egg wash using one egg yolk and a tsp of milk. Whisk until thoroughly combined. Before baking using a pastry brush, brush the entire pie crust with the mixture.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 Pie crust