Now, we can tackle the most delicious and fool-proof pie crust recipe ever thanks to David Letterman's mother, Dorothy Mengering. In her book, Home Cookin' with Dave's Mom, published in 1996, the pride and joy of Carmel, Indiana, and frequent guest on her son's talk show, Dorothy's cookbook is one of my favorites. The recipes are simple, authentic, and the photos and stories capture charming memories in Indiana with her family and famous son.
Dorothy credits many friends and family for the recipes she shares. Her pie crust recipe appealed to me as it included egg yolk and lemon juice components of my grandmother's excellent pie crust recipe from childhood on her aunt's farm in Lowell, Indiana. I knew Dorothy was on to something! As you will see below, you do not have to chill the dough before rolling, and you do not need a food processor or any tools beyond a fork and a rolling pin!
Vegetable shortening is the centerpiece of this recipe, and even Julia Child's pie crust calls for 1/2 butter and 1/2 shortening, but Dorothy's recipe takes the cake, so to speak. The fat content just makes pie crust crispy - it's a must. Pie crust is so versatile besides fruit pies, you can make quiche by partially pre-baking a pie shell before adding eggs, cheese, and vegetables.
This truly is one recipe to keep handy, and it is definitely a Letterman's Top Ten!
Flaky Pie Crust (Home Cookin' with Dave's Mom page 150, adapted)
Makes top and bottom for 1 pie
Ingredients:
3/4 cup shortening (I use Crisco at room temp see photo)
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 cup cold milk
Method:
Combine first four ingredients in a bowl chopping in shortening with a fork as shown in photo. Separately, combine egg yolk, lemon juice and milk. Pour liquids into flour mixture to form a ball. Divide ball in 2 (using the bench scraper you bought for $1 at Dollar Tree see this post Must Have $1 Kitchen Tool ). Roll one of the dough balls to place inside the pie plate you will be baking in. It just fine if you need to patch it in no one sees the bottom! Add fruit filling, suggestions below. Roll out the next ball of dough to cover top. Slit top for air to escape.
Bake on a cookie sheet for 15 minutes at 450 degrees.
Reduce heat to 350, and bake 35 minutes. If crust becomes too dark, add a collar of foil to the edge when you reduce heat to 350.
Filling suggestions:
4 cups of fruit, 1 cup sugar, 1/4 cup flour. For blueberries add 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg. Strawberries 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice. For apples, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and nutmeg. Play around with other fruits fresh or frozen. Frozen bring to room temp before combining these ingredients.
YUM!
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| Fruits of your labor! |
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| Step 1 mix dry ingredients with Crisco |
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| Step 2 add liquid with fork form a ball. |
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| Divide dough in half using your $1 scraper! |
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| Rollout one portion of dough on floured surface with floured rolling pin. |
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| OK if you need to patch the crust into pie plate! No shame it is delicious. |
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| Crisco vegetable shortening comes in easy to cut sticks like butter. |
