b. Fold edge of upper pastry under lower edge before fluting to keep juices from boiling out.
Use a 450 (extremely hot) oven for the first 10 to 15 minutes to brown the crust and then turn temperature down to 325-350 (moderate) for remainder of cooking time.
PASTRY
| ONE CRUST PIE | TWO CRUST PIE | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Sift together into bowl | sifted all-purpose flour | 1 cup | 2 cups |
| salt | ½ teaspoon | 1 teaspoon | |
| Work into flour with fork or pastry blender ½ of | shortening | ⅓ cup | ⅔ cup |
| When mixture has appearance of coarse meal, add the remaining shortening and cut until mixture is size of large peas. | |||
| Stir in gradually, a tablespoon at a time | water | 2 tablespoons | ¼ cup |
| Roll on lightly floured board to about ⅛-inch thickness. Fit loosely into 9-inch pan. Fold extra pastry under and pinch with fingers to flute edge. Proceed as directed in desired pie recipe. | |||
GRAHAM CRACKER CRUST
| Mix together | 1¼ cups fine graham cracker crumbs[1] |
| ⅓ cup melted butter or margarine | |
| Press firmly with back of spoon in bottom and on sides of 9-inch pie pan. Chill until needed. | |
[1]Sixteen 2½-inch crackers will make 1¼ cups crumbs.
TIPS ON MAKING FLUFFY MERINGUE
1. Use large fresh eggs and let the egg whites warm to room temperature before beating them.
2. Spread meringue on pie filling to edges of crust. Then the meringue won’t pull away from the crust as it bakes.