(Inspired by “Scrabble Grandma,” p. 161, Cornfields to Codfish)
This recipe has been passed along to us grandkids by my aunt, Mom’s sister, who still makes pies using Grandma Bauer’s recipes. Homemade pies are our holiday treat – whether Easter, Christmas, or any other time we come together for dinner. These are my aunt’s written directions for Grandma’s Pie Crust and Apple Pie.
Ingredients
(Makes 2 crusts, aluminum foil pan size)
¼ c. shortening
2 T. butter
¼ c. water (just mix in enough to hold together)
1 c. flour
¼ t. salt
Cut shortening and butter into flour and salt until dough feels greasy and has lumps the size of small peas in it. Cut in more shortening if needed; better a little rich as you can add more flour when rolling. (The trick is you can mix the flour and shortening as much as you want, but you don’t want to do much mixing after adding the water.) Slowly add the water, mixing with your hand just until dough holds together and you can form all of the crumbs into one smooth ball.
I prefer to roll out crust immediately; dough may be refrigerated 1 week or frozen 1 month. For 2-crust pie, break dough into equal halves.
Put dough on table on about 3 T. flour, spread out. Smash dough down with palm of hand, flip over, and press down again, trying to form dough into a circle. Now lift up piece of dough and spread flour underneath, maybe adding a little more, to the size of the pie plate. Roll with rolling pin that has been dusted with flour. Start in the middle and work evenly, trying to form dough into a circle. Flip dough once while rolling and put more flour underneath as needed to prevent sticking. Roll to size of about 2” beyond diameter of top of pie plate, and crust should be less than ¼” thick.
Lay rolling pin 2” from edge of circle; using table knife, loosen edge of crust, pulling it up over rolling pin, and then roll crust fully onto rolling pin. Center crust so edge is 1” past edge of pie plate and roll off into plate. Can lift crust gently to center it after it is down. Before adding filling to plate, roll out top crust to size 1” bigger than pie plate. Continue with the following Apple Pie recipe.
“My cousin called her “Apple Grandma” because they often made apple pies together. I remember making pies with Grandma, too. But to me, she was “Scrabble Grandma.” After Sunday dinners, the Scrabble board would come out, dictionary and all.” (p. 161, Cornfields to Codfish)