Marlow's Pie Crust

Making pie crust is just as easy as purchasing it from the store, defrosting it, shaping/cutting. And it tastes so much better when you make it yourself!

3 lb flour (best if using all-purpose or pastry flour)
2 lb fat (butter or shortening or a combination. the more shortening the flakier the crust)
1 lb water
1 ounce salt
(makes 12 8-inch pie shells)

Hand mix flour and fat into hazelnut size pieces. Mix water and salt. Add water to the flour mixture - just incorporate the two - don't over mix. Measure out the amount of dough needed. (1 ounce of dough per inch of crust) Shape into a disk. You can freeze the extra and use some other time - it will keep in the freezer for over a year.

Rolling out dough: shape into an egg shape. Roll out. If you really think you need to use some flour to prevent sticking, use very little. The more flour you add the less flaky the crust will turn out. Roll out dough until it is 1 finger longer then the pie shell. To place the dough into the pan; turn the pan over and cover the bottom, then set another shell on top and flip over. If you have plenty of extra pie pans, then keep the 2 pans together and place in the oven upside down on a cookie sheet.

Bake at 350 degrees until edge is brown. Turn shell right side up, remove extra pie pan and continue baking until dough is golden brown. You now have a parbaked shell ready to fill - this method even works great with fruit pies.