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Flaky Amish pie crust

Flaky Amish Pie Crust Recipe

This flaky, tender crust is the perfect vessel for your favorite pies.
The Amish have some unique flavors of pies that they are famous for. But they all start with a crust. If the crust is not good, it affects the whole pie. So, for any pie recipe, you can come back to this simple, flaky crust.
5 from 4 votes
Prep Time 25 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine Amish
Servings 24 servings
Calories 196 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 4 cups flour
  • 3 Tbsp. sugar
  • 1 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1 1/2 cups lard, shortening, or butter
  • 1 - 1 1/4 cup ice cold water

Instructions
 

  • Mix flour, sugar and salt in large bowl.
    4 cups flour, 3 Tbsp. sugar, 1 1/4 tsp. salt
  • Add lard, butter, or shortening, whichever you decide to use; and blend in with your hands or pastry blender until crumbly. It doesn't matter if there's still little pebbles, you just don't want them any larger than pea size.
    1 1/2 cups lard, shortening, or butter
  • Gradually add ice cold water, and form into ball. If it looks like it will be too dry, just add a bit more water. You want it wet enough that it will stick together. But do not over mix.
    1 - 1 1/4 cup ice cold water
  • Divide into 3 balls. Dust your counter top with flour and place your ball of dough onto flour. You can spread a bit with your hands, then dust the top with flour as well. Using rolling pin, roll into a round disc, just a couple inches larger than your pie plate. You'll want to start in the center and roll outward, just applying a little pressure as you roll. And rotate around in a circle to get it nice and round.
  • If it wants to stick to your counter, just lift the crust, sprinkle more flour under it, and continue rolling.
  • Place into your pie pan, carefully lifting the edges so that the center can be lowered into the edges of the pie plate; then using a knife, you can trim around the edges.
  • Now you can just leave it as it is, or lift the edges a bit and crimp them, to give it a more decorative touch. This also helps to heighten the sides so the pie filling doesn't run over the edges as quickly. Then fill with your favorite filling and bake according to instructions.
  • I recommend setting the prepared crusts into the refrigerator until you are ready to fill them.
  • Yields: 3 (9") pie crusts

Video

Notes

The secret to a flaky crust is not over-mixing and using cold ingredients.
After adding the water, you want to gently mix, only until everything sticks together. If it seems too crumbly, simply add a bit more water. But do not mix more than absolutely necessary to get all the crumbs incorporated.
 You can literally use any shortening you have on hand. I like to use a combination of lard and butter. Butter gives it a great flavor, but you may find a slight difference in the outcome if you use all butter. 
With the trimmings that you cut off the edges of your pie pans,  you can make another smaller pie crust.
* Edited to add the measurements if you are wanting to make only one pie crust...
1 1/4 c. flour, 1 Tbs. sugar, 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/2 c. lard, about 1/3 c. ice-cold water (This should make one 9" pie crust.)
*Nutrition is approximate.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 196kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 2gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 2gSodium: 101mgPotassium: 22mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gCalcium: 4mgIron: 1mg
Keyword Amish Pie Crust Recipe, Flaky Amish pie crust recipe, Flaky pie crust, How to make pie crust
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