Pie Crusts

[Mike Ontko]

I use butter for sweet pies and lard (or vegetable as a less-desireable substitute for meat pies (pot pies and the like). I haven't ever made more than four 9" crusts at a time, so I've never really needed to use a food processor for mixing. So it's been easy to stick with a pastry knife for cutting the fat into the flour. And I agree that keeping the butter/lard/shortening chilled until the final rolling and baking is the key a lighter, layered crust.

Now...who here uses a French style rolling pin (a plain dowel with tapered ends) instead of a baker's rolling pin (a straight roller with an axle and handles)?

[Russ Filtz]

Due to watching UK cooking shows, I've discovered the wonders of a HOT WATER crust! Couldn't be easier. Melt butter, lard, salt, water, etc., mix hot into flour. Roll out, if you feel like it, otherwise just smash it into the pan. Very forgiving. Crust becomes very sturdy. May not be as flaky, but also doesn't get soggy.

Worked wonders this year with xgiving pumpkin pie, which usually is a soggy mess.

[Yonak Hawkins]

"xgiving"

..Interesting derivative. I'd never seen that usage before. I understand the "X" in Christmas as it's the Greek Letter Chi but I wonder how it got into Xgiving. I'm always amazed and impressed at how vibrant and malleable the English language is.

[Perry Hilbert Jr]

re the rolling pin. I have all three kinds. the French dowel style, the cheesy store brand with the axle, and a solid sugar maple rolling pin on which the handles are cut on the ends of the pin. A trick my grandmother taught me was to roll the dough with a glass bottle filled with ice water. Right after our house burned down, we had few kitchen gadgets, I used a full bottle of wine as a rolling pin. worked great. BTW: The wine went well with the meat pie I made. I knew a guy that used an unopened can of beer as a rolling pin. Whatever works.

[roger wiegand]

I only tried a hot water crust once, recipe from an old Joy of Cooking as I recall, the resulting material would have made a suitable replacement for HardiBoard. Could you share your recipe?

[Bruce Wrenn]

Due to watching UK cooking shows, I've discovered the wonders of a HOT WATER crust! May not be as flaky, but also doesn't get soggy.

Worked wonders this year with xgiving pumpkin pie, which usually is a soggy mess.

To prevent filling from soaking into crust, paint crust with an egg white wash, and then bake for 5 minutes. The egg white wash is a mixture of one egg white and a teaspoon of warm water. Paint it on with a 1" brush from Dollar Tree.

[Bruce Wrenn]

re the rolling pin. I have all three kinds. the French dowel style, the cheesy store brand with the axle, and a solid sugar maple rolling pin on which the handles are cut on the ends of the pin. A trick my grandmother taught me was to roll the dough with a glass bottle filled with ice water. Right after our house burned down, we had few kitchen gadgets, I used a full bottle of wine as a rolling pin. worked great. BTW: The wine went well with the meat pie I made. I knew a guy that used an unopened can of beer as a rolling pin. Whatever works.

Bed Bath and Beyond is the cheapest on an AMERICAN MADE rolling pin (tradition style.) Twelve inch pin is about $15, less the always available 20% off coupon.

[Perry Hilbert Jr]

Nope, not by a long shot. The one I made on my own lathe out of sugar maple, is the best cheapest US made rolling pin in these parts.

[Stan Calow]

I've heard of using vodka instead of straight water for the crust. The alcohol lets the dough be workable, but does not activate the sticky gluten as water does. Same with making pasta.

[Peter Kelly]

Agree on the vodka (Tito's). Makes for a much lighter crust.

[roger wiegand]

I've heard of using vodka instead of straight water for the crust. The alcohol lets the dough be workable, but does not activate the sticky gluten as water does. Same with making pasta.

I like the theory. We did a side-by-side test of pie crusts with a blind tasting. None of our tasters could tell the difference, both crusts were similarly light and flaky. Vodka is 60% water, perhaps a test with 95% ethanol might have been different. Or perhaps there is more of a difference if you're not already fanatic about your technique.

[Bruce Wrenn]

Nope, not by a long shot. The one I made on my own lathe out of sugar maple, is the best cheapest US made rolling pin in these parts.

When you include the cost of your lathe and tooling, your cost FAR EXCEEDS $15. How many can you turn out and deliver at fifteen bucks a pop?

[Russ Filtz]

I only tried a hot water crust once, recipe from an old Joy of Cooking as I recall, the resulting material would have made a suitable replacement for HardiBoard. Could you share your recipe?

Yes, I guess they can be a bit more "stiff", but I actually like a crispy crust vs a "tender/flaky" crust. To me a standard cut-in crust, even when not soggy, still taste/mouthfeel like it.

I used a couple sites while planning, but this one is good. Use REAL lard, not crisco.

https://food52.com/blog/18266-hot-wa...h-pies-deserve

Another one with milk vs just water.

http://www.geniuskitchen.com/recipe/...ham-pie-292563

[roger wiegand]

Got it! Been wanting to try a serious meat pie after watching a recent Great British Baking Show rerun. Will give this a try.