Steve’s Pie Crust

Pie Crust Recipe by Steve

Pie Crust Ingredients

2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, sifted

1 teaspoon salt

¾ cup lard, chilled

4 to 6 tablespoons ice water

¼ cup or less of milk to brush the top of pie before baking

How to Make Pie Crust

Chill all utensils, the mixing bowl, and the pie pan before starting. Combine flour and salt in the chilled mixing bowl. Cut in the lard with pastry blender until small pea-size particles form. Sprinkle with water, adding only a little at a time. Mix with a fork until flour is moistened. Press the dough into two separate balls and place onto a floured surface. Flatten each of the balls, and then wrap in aluminum foil or plastic wrap. Place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator 15 minutes prior to rolling out. Flour the rolling surface and rolling pin (if you have a marble rolling pin chill it). For the first crust, roll the dough to about a 1⁄8-inch thickness and slightly larger in diameter than the rim of the pie plate. Carefully fold the dough in half, place in the pie plate, and unfold. Press lightly to fit the rim of the plate. Fill with pie filling and repeat instructions for second crust to top. Crimp the edges to seal before baking. Brush the top with milk. Yields crust for one 2-crust 9-inch pie or two single-crust 9-inch pies.

Recipe Notes: Steve, who uses a chilled marble rolling pin, says the secret to flaky crust is to keep everything cold. He also places aluminum foil over the edges to prevent the rim of the crust from over-browning, and remove the foil for the last 10 minutes of baking time.

After creating the perfect pie with this pie crust recipe check out our new cookbook for meal ideas!