Hold onto your butt: Heather’s going to share her family’s famous pie crust recipe. Not that it’s a secret. We give it to anyone who asks. Strangely, even with a good recipe in hand, many people are intimidated by the idea of making their own pie crust from scratch. Be assured that, while it did take Heather many attempts to figure out the technique, good pie crust is a rewarding life skill and worth the investment. Heather can now make an apple pie from scratch in an hour (plus baking time).
Award-Winning Walker Family Pie Crust Recipe
Heather's homemade pie doesn't last long.
Makes one 9” double pie (e.g. apple) or two single pie shells (e.g. pumpkin).
Combine in a mixing bowl:
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp salt
Cut in with two knives or a pastry cutter:
1 cup butter or lard at room temperature (local lard is now available from Terra Nossa Family Farm, a certified organic farm in Mill Bay)
until mixture is uniform and the butter looks like large peas
Beat together separately:
1 egg yolk
2 tbsp cold water
1 tbsp white vinegar
and pour evenly over flour mixture.
Stir with a fork until everything’s mixed. With your hands, gently separate the dough into two equal-sized balls/piles. (We find that over-handling the dough makes it less flaky, so be gentle and don’t handle more than necessary.)
Dust your rolling pin and the countertop or rolling sheet with flour. (We roll the dough on a sheet of waxed paper: it makes it easier to lift the rolled dough and move it to the pie plate.) Plop a ball of dough down and roll it to a uniform thickness from centre to edge with light, even strokes. If the dough sticks to your rolling pin, dust with more flour. Roll to a circle about 1” larger than the pie plate.
Lift the dough carefully by folding it back onto the rolling pin and position it over the pie plate. Place it onto the plate, and press the dough down lightly so it fits to the edges of the plate. Use a knife to cut the extra crust off the pie.
Double-shelled pie (e.g. apple or strawberry)
Apples: Wash, peel and cut apples into sections (a bit more than bite-sized).
Strawberries: Cut off tops. **DO NOT WASH BERRIES.** (click here to learn why)
Rhubarb: Wash and cut into small sections (1 cm long).
- Add the filling: keep in mind it will shrink when the pie bakes, so be generous.
- Add 2 tbsp butter on top of the filling.
- Roll another sheet of dough. Before placing it on top of your pie, wet the edges of the bottom crust with water using your fingers (this will help the pie crust seal).
- Once the top crust is placed, use your fingers to press down around the edge of the pie. Then use a knife to trim away the extra crust.
- Cut a few lines in the top of the crust for steam vents, and sprinkle the pie with sugar and cinnamon (optional).
- Bake pie at 425-degrees for 30 minutes, then at 350-degrees for up to 1 hour, until you see the juices bubbling through the steam vents.
- Remove pie from oven (or just turn off the oven) and let it sit so the filling will “gel” before serving.