Pastry Recipes

I love making pies and quiches. Here are some easy pastry recipes that can all be frozen for use at a later date.

Flaky Pastry for 2-Crust Pie

2 cups sifted flour
3/4 cup shortening (I like using Crisco)
1tsp. salt
4 to 5 Tablespoons iced water

Combine flour and salt in bowl. Cut in shortening until coarse crumbs form, using a pastry blender.
Sprinkle iced water over crumb mixture a little at a time, tossing witha fork until dough forms.
Press dough firmly into a ball.
Use as directed in recipe. Makes pastry for 1 (2-crust) 8" or 9" pie
Easiest Piecrust
The two secrets to light, flaky pastry dough are to use cold ingredients and to process it as little as possible. In a food processor, with your pulse button, it takes no time at all. Makes two piecrusts. For a sweet pie crust omit the salt and add 1tbs sugar.

5 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 pound very cold unsalted butter,cut into very small pieces
3 egg yolks
4 tablespoons ice water

Put the flour and salt in the bowl of the food processor fitted with a metal blade. Pulse a few times to combine. Begin to add the butter, and pulse until the mixture starts to look like coarse meal (10 to 15 pulses). Add the egg yolks, then slowly pour in the ice water while processing (no more than 20 seconds). Pulse until dough just comes together - do not let it form a ball. If it holds together when you pinch it, it's ready. Place the dough in a plastic bag, form it into a flat round (like a round loaf of bread), and chill it for at least one hour before rolling it out.


Never-Fail Sweet pie Pastry
4 cups sifted flour
1 egg, beaten
1 Tbs sugar
1 Tbs vinegar
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup iced water

Combine flour, sugar and salt in bowl. Cut in shortening until coarse crumbs form, using a pastry blender.
Blend together egg, vinegar and iced water in another bowl. Sprinkle egg mixture over crumb mixture a little at a time, tossing with a fork until dough forms. Divide dough in half. press each half firmly into a ball.

Use as directed in recipe. Makes pastry for 1 (2 crust) 8" or 9" pies.

Quiche Pastry Shell
1 1/2 cup sifted flour
1/4 cup  margarine
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
1/2 tsp. salt
4 to 5 tbs iced water

Combine flour and salt in bowl. Cut in margarine and shortening until coarse crumbs form, using a pastry blender.
Sprinkle iced water over crumb mixture a little at a time, tossing with a fork until dough forms. Press dough firmly into a ball.
Use as directed in your recipe of choice. Makes 1 ( 10" ) quiche shell.