Large Batch Pie Crust Recipes

HOMEMADE PIE CRUST

Steps:

• Place flour, butter, salt, and sugar in the bowl of a small food processor . Process on pulse until the fat is cut uniformly into the flour in very small pieces.
• Add water all at once and process just until dough holds together. If the dough is too dry to stick together, add more water by teaspoon increments.
• Place dough in a heavy 2- to 3-gallon sized sealable plastic bag and press into a round thick disk. Chill in refrigerator or freezer until stiff.
• Leaving the dough in the plastic bag, roll the dough out into a large circle (for a deep 6-inch pan, the circle should be about 10 inches in diameter and about 1/4 inch thick). Return the bag to the freezer for about 10 minutes or until dough is stiff.
• Cut the bag apart along the seams and peel it from the plastic. Without stretching the dough, fit it into the bottom of your pie dish and up the sides. You may need to let the dough soften a little. It should be malleable but cold.
• Trim any excess crust, leaving about 1/4-inch extending over the edge of the pan. Patch any holes or thin spots.
• Chill for 15 minutes and use as directed in recipes that call for uncooked pie crust.
• The dough can be frozen at this point for up to several weeks.
• Divide the dough into two balls: about 1/3 for the top crust and 2/3 for the bottom. Use two plastic bags for rolling the dough out. Use the previous instructions for fitting the bottom crust into the pan.
• After filling, lay the top crust over and trim the excess dough. Crimp the bottom and top crust together to seal. There are several ways to do this: you can press down firmly with the tips of the tines of a fork; you can pinch the edges of the dough together using the index finger and thumb of one hand and the index finger of the other; or, if you've left the excess 1/4 inch of dough around the edge of the bottom crust, you can roll it up over the top crust and press the edges together.
• Preheat oven to 400 F. Place the pan in the freezer for 15 minutes or so, until dough is very stiff.
• Line the crust with a piece of aluminum foil (not heavy duty) and pour in enough pie weights, pennies, dried beans, or rice to reach about halfway up the sides.
• Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and carefully lift the foil out of the crust. The crust should be set but not browned.
• Return pan to the oven and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and let cool. For a dessert crust, increase the sugar to 1 teaspoon for a single crust or 1-1/2 teaspoons for a double crust. This amount of dough is very generous; you may have some leftover after rolling. You can freeze it, or roll it out, sprinkle with Parmigiano cheese and bake it for 10 to 15 minutes for a savory snack.

PIE CRUST

Steps:

• In a food processor, pulse together the flour and salt. Add butter and pulse until the mixture forms lima bean-size pieces. Slowly add ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and pulse until the dough just comes together. It should be moist, but not wet.
• Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gather into a ball. Flatten into a disk with the heel of your hand. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 2 days.

BEST EVER PIE CRUST

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in water until mixture forms a ball. Divide dough in half, and shape into balls. Wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.
• Roll out dough on a floured counter. Don't over work it. Use as directed in pie recipe.

PASTRY FOR EXTRA-LARGE DOUBLE-CRUST PIE

Steps:

• In a bowl, combine flour and salt; cut in shortening until crumbly. Gradually add water, tossing with a fork until dough forms a ball. Divide dough in half so that one ball is slightly larger than the other. Roll out larger ball to fit an 11-1/2-in. to 12-in. pie plate. Transfer pastry to pie plate; trim even with edge of plate. , Pour desired filling into crust. Roll out second ball; cut slits in pastry. Position over filling. Trim pastry to 1 in. beyond edge of pie plate. Fold top crust over bottom crust. Flute edges. Bake according to recipe directions.

MOM'S LARD PIE CRUST

Steps:

• In a bowl, combine flour and salt. Cut in lard until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle in water, a tablespoon at a time, until pastry holds together. Shape into a ball; chill for 30 minutes. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/8-in. thickness. Transfer to a 10-in. pie plate. Flute edges; fill and bake as pie recipe directs.

LARGE BATCH PIE CRUST

Steps:

• In a large bowl, mix together with hands, flour, brown sugar and salt.
• Cut in crisco.
• Add the water 1 cup at a time, mixing with hands between each cup.
• Pat into 9 ounce patties.
• Place in freezer bags and freeze until needed.
• To use:.
• Microwave each frozen patty on high 20 seconds, turn over and repeat.
• Roll out dough between lightly floured waxed paper.

AUNTIE IRENE'S FOOLPROOF PIE CRUST (LARGE BATCH)

Steps:

• Cut flour, salt, sugar and half of Crisco together until crumbly, then cut remainder of Crisco in until size of peas; set aside.
• Put vinegar in a 2 quart liquid measuring cup.
• Fill to 2 1/2 cup mark with cold water.
• Add eggs and beat with fork.
• Drizzle over dry ingredients; stir with fork.
• Turn onto lightly floured board and knead approximately 5 times, until no longer "sticky".
• Divide by 1/2-3/4 cup measure.
• Roll out on a lightly floured surface, using as little flour as possible and handling as little as possible.
• Bake empty shells at 400°F for 10-12 minutes on the bottom rack of the oven.
• Cooking pies on the bottom rack of the oven will help prevent over browning of the top and soggy crusts on the bottom.
• This dough freezes extremely well; simply flatten divided dough into a disk and put into a Ziploc bag, removing all air; thaw in fridge and roll out as directed.