"My grandmother supported her family during the Depression by baking. This is her recipe for pie crust. I use this often as I am a pie baker. The trick to good pie crust is to be gentle and treat it very lightly."
1Mix shortening, flour, and salt together with a fork or a pastry blender until very crumbly. Add as much water as needed to hold together, and mix lightly with a fork.
2Roll gently on a floured pastry cloth to about an inch larger than pie plate. Fold carefully in half, lift to pie plate, and unfold. Press into pan. For a single-crust pie, trim with a small knife to about 1/2 inch beyond rim. Fold up, and pinch so edge of pie is raised from rim.
Footnotes
Cook's Note
For a two-crust pie, trim bottom crust to edge of rim, fill, and top with crust about 1/2 inch larger than rim. Tuck top crust under bottom along rim. Seal with floured fork.
Tip
Aluminum foil can be used to keep food moist, cook it evenly, and make clean-up easier.