Friday, September 14, 2012

At Last! A No-Fail Pie Crust

Patsy's Authentic
 Apple Pie 
(straight from the farm) 

The story: 
I often call my sister-in-law for cooking tips. Why? She  knows how to do the hard stuff.  Before trying the DELICIOUS, no-fail recipe below, I thought making pie crust was hard. I often resorted to ready-made crust.

...Several states away from me, Patsy smiled. (Yes, you can tell when people smile when talking on the phone.) She said, "My crust is no-fail; you can't make a mistake with this recipe." She reminisced about a time she took her pie to a dinner party; when it was time for dessert, the hostess brought everything out of the kitchen except her contribution. Later, she asked about her pie; the woman smirked and whispered, " Pat, I'm saving that one for myself!"

Intrigued?  I was. Then Patsy related that she learned how to make her awesome crust 40 years ago at a pie-baking assembly line on a farm in Pennsylvania. She said she helped make 100 pies that day, and she never forgot the secret.
With Patsy's  delicious, authentic recipe, and her truly no-fail crust I never have to struggle with pie dough again. And now, neither do you!


 Patsy's Apple Pie
The crust:
(If I can make it, so can you!)
1 (fresh farm egg)
3 Tbs water
3Tbs white vinegar
2 c flour
1/4 tsp salt
2 sticks butter, softened (works much better than cold)
Tear 2 sheets of waxed paper and sprinkle each sheet generously with flour.
Whisk egg, water and vinegar -  set aside.
Stir together flour and salt.
Add butter to flour mixture and mix with clean hands, until crumbly.
Then add liquid (above)."Warning: it will be really wet, like cookie dough! That's why you need to prepare the waxed  paper, first)."
Sprinkle dough generously with flour, dust hands.
Cut dough in half with a butter knife and gently form each half into a ball, then flatten to make a disk.  Wrap in floured, waxed paper or (plastic wrap) and refrigerate.
The Filling
(Make sure to eat some while you are working.)
Peel core and slice 8-12 apples into a big bowlPatsy prefers Macintosh; I like to use Granny Smith; Farmgirls use what's available.
Mix and Stir 
1 1/2 cups sugar (If you use sweet apples, reduce sugar)
2-3 TBS cinnamon ( I use 3)
2 Tbs flour.
1 pinch of Love (I add this to everything I make, so does Patsy.)
The Assembly
Set oven at 400 degrees.
Locate pie dish. Patsy and I use a deep dish.
Flour the work surface and roll out your first crust. (Leave the other one in the fridge.) 
Set bottom crust, leave edges overlapping rim.
Fill and mound with apple mixture.
Dot with butter.
Roll out top crust; measuring size by holding pie dish over crust to be sure top is several inches larger than the rim of your dish.  Be generous with flour as you roll. The beauty of this moist dough is that you can re-roll the crust if you mess up, continually lift and flip dough and brush flour underneath and onto your rolling pin. (Keep a pile of flour handy for this purpose.)
Carefully lay on your top crust, trimming edges out an inch or so from the edge and seal top and bottom crusts by rolling under.  Now flute the edge. To flute pie pastry:
BHG.com
Enlarge Image
  • Place a finger against the inside edge of the pastry.
  • Using the thumb and index finger of the other hand, press the pastry around the finger.
  • Continue around the rest of the pastry's edge.
Cut a 2-3 inch line in the center of your pie to vent steam,  adding a few smaller slits, like a branch with leaves, or use the initial of the person you are blessing with the pie
Whisk an egg, use a basting brush to coat top of pie and sprinkle with sugar.
Make a foil rim to protect the edge from over-browning.
Place a foil-lined cookie sheet on the bottom rack of your oven to catch drips . Place pie on top rack and set timer for 15 minutes; After time is up, turn oven to 350 and cook another 45 to 50 minutes, or until apples are tender when you slip a sharp knife into the pie.
Remove to cooling rack and guard pie well! The aroma has been known to attract husbands and children of all ages.
 ~Enjoy~ 

If you want to try other delicious apple pie recipes, click here: Farm Chick Chit Chat is having an apple pie bake-off on Saturday, September 15th, 2012, as part of a month's worth of focus on the topic of apples.
I'm also linking up with Farmgirl Friday Blog Hop
And A Rural Journal
Pin It!

25 comments:

  1. Thank you for sharing this secret recipe for the no-fail pie crust. The list of ingredients looks promising. I WILL be using it real soon and will let you know how it goes.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Heidi,
      My chickens think that THEY are the reason this crust is so good :)

      Delete
  2. Such a beautiful pie! My pie crust recipe is similar to yours with the egg and vinegar, and I agree ... I call it fool-proof, you call it fail-proof! It turns out perfect every time! Thank you for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I shall have to try this no-fail recipe. I have never been able to make good pie crust. Thanks so much for sharing. New to your blog and plan on being back here on a regular basis.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Gen,
      Welcome! Let me know how you do when you try your pie crust.

      Delete
  4. Until the bake-off today I had never heard of using an egg and vinegar in pie crust. I'll have to try this. You made a beautiful pie.

    ReplyDelete
  5. It appears that you might live in the Arizona desert as we do?? Will check out your gardening blog as I need so much help with learning how to garden in Az (transplant from NY)!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We are transplants from NY too! We've been desert dwellers for 36 years, but we still miss the lush green of Buffalo.

      Delete
  6. my mother-in-law gave me this secret 30 or so years ago but less vinegar and more flour! not as sticky, i shape into disk and chill before rolling out. very easy to work with, that was what i loved about it and it tastes great!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, Roberta, I could easily have added more flour to the dough, and actually do while rolling it out. The best thing about this recipe is that if you mess up while rolling, all you have to do is ball it up and start over.

      Delete
  7. A beautiful pie -- I have my own pie crust recipe that my momma taught me. I'm so glad that your sister-in-law was able to provide you with her blue ribbon crust recipe!

    Thanks so much for sharing at Your Sunday Best. :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. I'll give it a try... thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  9. I love homemade pie crust, but I seem to have lost my skills at making them. Maybe I'll try this one if I get brave. The idea of no-fail sounds promising. :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. edenhills,
      This one can be rolled out and re-rolled out if you make a mistake...that's what makes it no-fail. I hope you give it a try.
      ~Blessings

      Delete
  10. That recipe sounds amazing! I love apple pie! Thanks so much for stopping by my blog and leaving your nice comment.

    Have a great week!

    Angela

    ReplyDelete
  11. Replies
    1. I just made it again today with my grand daughters. The main difference with this crust is that it is so wet. Don't be afraid to dust liberally with flour while working with the dough.

      Delete
  12. My daughter LOVES apple pie. But last time I tried to bake one, failed big time. I saw this, been thinking I should try. She comes from for a few days. I baked it before I left for the airport.... Ahhhhh, yum, I can't believe how good it turns out.... so perfect! THANK YOU. If I can make a pie crust, anybody can....

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I am so happy it turned out well for you. My 13-year-old grand daughter is able to do it by herself now. Don't forget the vanilla ice cream on top! ~Enjoy!

      Delete
  13. Thanks for the detailed recipe. I'm following you and would love to have you follow back on Google+ or Twitter. Thanks, Linda

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Linda,

      I hope you enjoy the recipe.

      I found your beautiful blog and I'm following you back through Networked blogs. http://twosucculentsisters.blogspot.com/

      Delete

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