Perfect Pie Crust and some Holiday Pies

Whoa! Thanksgiving went by in a flash! I have to say that I am a huge fan of the turkey and the sides, but quite possibly the pies may be my all-time favorite part of the day! This perfect pie crust recipe is one that you could use not only on Thanksgiving, but for Christmas or any time you have a mad PIE craving! I love to make pies during the holidays…almost as much (or maybe more!)than making Christmas cookies!

You may be like me and having a whole new turkey meal this weekend with friends or family that you didn’t get to see yesterday. Let’s talk PIE cravings!

To keep it totally real, I never say no to a really great pie! This is just the perfect pie dough recipe that comes together in a cinch using a food processor. If you prefer to work out your arms, you could put the dough together on your counter (make sure it’s super clean, because every little speck of any thing will stick to that dough!). It’s nice to use a knife and a fork to work the dough together. Joy the Baker has this great post on how to make the dough with your hands and bench knife. You could use your rolling pin to flatten the butter out. Don’t forget to use very cold butter!!

Cranberry Meringue Pie – pictured above

Pumpkin Coconut Pie – pictured above

Apple Pie with Oat Streusel – pictured above

Southern Buttermilk Pie – pictured above

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie – pictured above

Very Easy Turkey Pot Pie – (pictured above)This pie! Yes, this pie! You totally have to make this turkey pot pie with your leftover turkey. It is delicious!!!

Some pie-inspiration!

apple with oat streusel toppping

salted caramel apple pie

apple-limoncello pie

grape and apple pie

cranberry-apple pie

key lime pie with meringue topping

lemon meringue pie

blueberry limoncello pie with sourdough crust

sweet cherry pie

olive-oil graham cracker crust

Pie baking tips:

Here is a great post on how to blind bake a pie crust.

Tips on how to avoid overbrowning your pie crust.

15 tips for making perfect pies.

The Art of Pie’s pie dough making tips.

Food52’s pie crust tips (for making by hand)

Hope my friends that celebrate Thanksgiving had a wonderful weekend! Tomorrow we will be back with our December #TwelveLoaves challenge…can’t wait to share it with all of you!!!

Need further pie inspiration...check out my pinterest board! #pielove

Perfect Pie Crust

by Savoring Italy

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: chill for at least one hour

Ingredients (2 9-inch pie crusts)

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour, plus extra for rolling
1 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons sugar
3/4 cup (a stick and a half) unsalted butter, chilled, cut into 1/4 inch cubes
1/2 cup of all-vegetable shortening (8 Tbsp)
6-8 Tablespoons ice water

Instructions

Combine flour, salt and sugar in a food processor; pulse it one time to mix. Add the butter pieces and pulse 4 times. Add shortening one tablespoon at a time and pulse each time you add a tablespoon.

The mixture should resemble coarse cornmeal, with butter bits no bigger than peas. Sprinkle 6 tablespoons of ice water over flour mixture one tablespoon at a time. Pulse once after you add each tablespoon of water. If you pinch some of the crumbly dough and it holds together, it’s ready. If the dough doesn’t hold together, keep adding water, a teaspoon at a time, pulsing once after each addition, until the mixture just begins to clump together.

Clean off your counter really well or use a pastry board or a nice cutting board. Flour your hands generously. Take the dough out of the food processor.

make sure you refrigerate for at least an hour. Reserve the second disk for your next pie in the fridge. It can stay for up to 2 days in the refrigerator.

When it is time to roll the dough out to make my pie, I take it out of the refrigerator and I usually let my dough sit out for about 5 minutes before rolling. It’s hot here in Florida. Doesn’t take more than 5 minutes to get to the perfect rolling temperature.

On a lightly floured surface, using a rolling pin, apply light pressure while rolling outwards from the center of the dough. Every once in a while you may need to gently lift under the dough You have a big enough piece of dough when you place the pie tin or pie dish upside down on the dough and the dough extends by at least 2 inches all around.

When the dough has reached the right size, gently fold it in half. Lift up the dough and place it so that the folded edge is along the center line of the pie dish. Gently unfold and be sure to not stretch the dough to fit. Fold pastry into quarter folds and ease into plate, pressing firmly against bottom and side.

* If you are only making a single crust pie, use a pair of kitchen scissors to trim the dough to within 1/2 inch of the lip of the dish. Tuck the overhang underneath itself along the edge of the pie dish. Use your fingers in a pinching motion, or the tines of a fork to crimple the edge of the pie crust.

*Fill with your choice of filling and bake according to the recipe. You may need to blind bake the crust, depending on the filling.