EASY PASTRY

EASY PASTRY image

Categories Bake

Number Of Ingredients 5

Ingredients

1 3/4 cup flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup lard or shortening
4-5 Tablespoons ice water
(I use Becel margarine, and still get 'great pastry' compliments!)

Steps:

Mix the flour, salt and margarine until it resembles coarse meal. Don't worry if some of the shortening is the size of peas. Mix in water, one tablesoon at a time, lightly with fork until dough clings together and cleans easily from the bowl. Do not use all the water, just enough to give dough the body, too much water toughens the dough. Avoid over mixing as this contributes to a tough dough.(Work quickly, as the longer it takes, the warmer everything gets) Gather it into a ball, lightly, as if it is fresh fallen snow, and you are making a snow ball, not a packed ice ball!. Chill if you aren't ready to roll it right away. Divide dough in two, Dust a clean surface with flour. Roll dough with light strokes in one direction from the centre out in the direction you wish to expand the dough. Dust rolling pin with flour to prevent sticking. Check rolling surface to be sure that there is enough flour to avoid the dough from sticking to the rolling surface. Roll dough about 1 1/2-2 inches larger than pie dish or plate.This allows for trimming and for turning edge under for an attractive edge that resists shrinking. Dough should be about 1/8" thick. Lightly grease the pie plate, then flip the dough onto rolling pin and transfer to pie plate. Put cooled filling in shell. Roll the second part of pastry, lifting it with the rolling pin to gently cover the pie. Trim with scissors to 1/2" from edge of pe. Fold top pastry edge under edge of bottom pastry. Seal and decorate edge. Brush top with glaze: an egg yolk with a little water milk or cream gives a rich golden glow. Brush crust before baking and again halfway through baking time. Cut 1 or 2 slits in top pastry to allow steam to escape. ** This is also the time to create a traditional 'slit' design of your own that becomes your own 'trademark'or tradition..mine is a few heads of wheat..like my grandma always did!