Pi Day - How to make a pie crust

March 14, Pi Day! It's also my brother's birthday, but that's a different story. I love celebrating 3.14 with my Physicist darling...it just makes it extra special. So today, I'm going to share one of our very best pie recipes with you. But first, how to make that perfect pie crust.

Pie Crust (double)

2-1/2 c flour
1 t salt
2 T sugar
1/2 c shortening, very cold
12 T butter, very cold
8 T water, very cold

Notice the emphasis on very cold?  Chill all of your ingredients, and keep them in the freezer between steps if you get interrupted in making the filling. Cut the shortening into the dry ingredients until mixture is coarse and mealy. Chop up the butter and cut it in until it is approximately pea sized.  Add the water slowly and mix together by hand, handling as little as possible.


Divide dough into two and form disks.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour before rolling out.

Roll out from the middle of the disk (I like to use waxed or parchment paper), giving the dough a quarter turn after each roll.  Transfer to pie pan, and decorate edge if desired.