Barry Maidens Buttershortening Piecrust Recipes

PART-BUTTER/PART-SHORTENING EASY PIE DOUGH

Steps:

• In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment, pulse together the flour, sugar, salt, butter and shortening until the mixture resembles cornmeal but there are still pea-sized chunks of fat.
• In a small bowl, stir together the ice water and lemon juice. Slowly add the liquid to the flour mixture, pulsing, until the dough just comes together. Squeeze a small piece of dough between your thumb and index finger to make sure it holds its shape.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide it in half. Gently turn over each piece of dough a few times so that any dry bits are incorporated. Form each piece into a loose disk, cover the dough with plastic wrap and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes.

CLASSIC BUTTER PIE PASTRY

Steps:

• Combine flour and salt; cut in butter until crumbly. Gradually add ice water, tossing with a fork until dough holds together when pressed., Shape dough into a disk for a single-crust pie; for a double-crust pie, divide dough in 2 with 1 piece slightly larger than the other. Shape into 2 disks. Wrap and refrigerate 1 hour or overnight., On a lightly floured surface, roll 1 disk of dough to a 1/8-in.-thick circle; transfer to a 9-in. pie plate. , For a single-crust pie: Trim crust to 1/2 in. beyond rim of plate; flute edge. Fill or bake according to recipe directions., For a double-crust pie: Add filling to pie. Roll remaining dough to a 1/8-in.-thick circle. Place over filling. Trim, seal and flute edge. Cut slits in top. Bake according to recipe directions.

BUTTERY ROAST CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F. Mix breadcrumbs, thyme, lemon zest, 1 cup butter, and 1 Tbsp. salt in a medium bowl with a rubber spatula to combine. Transfer butter mixture to a disposable pastry bag without a tip or a resealable plastic bag. Cut off the tip of pastry bag (or snip off one corner if using a plastic bag).
• Starting at the neck end of the chicken, gently slide your fingers between skin and breast to loosen skin; continue into the thigh and leg to fully separate skin from meat without tearing.
• Squeeze butter mixture under the skin on top of breasts and work it over breasts, thighs, and drumsticks so everything is evenly covered with butter. Rub outside of skin with remaining 1/2 cup butter; season chicken all over with salt. Tie legs together with kitchen twine. Transfer chicken to a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet.
• Place chicken in oven and pour 1/2 cup water into baking sheet (this will prevent juices from scorching). Roast until skin is dark golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a thigh registers 165°F, 45-55 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board; let rest at least 10 minutes before carving.