Grandma Bonnie Longenberger's Pie Crust

This pie crust recipe comes courtesy of Linda Dancho, in our newsroom.  She makes the world's best pies, and says you can keep the crumbs in this crust in the freezer until you need them.

This recipe makes enough for a double-crusted pie.

Tips for beginning pie makers are below.

Ingredients:

2 C flour
1/2 Tbs sugar
3/4 tsp. salt
3/4 C lard (I use vegetable shortening)
1 small egg, beaten
1/2 Tbs vinegar
1/4 C water

In a large bowl, sift together flour, sugar and salt.

With a pastry blender or two knives, cut in lard/shortening until mixture resembles course crumbs. Freeze here if you like.

Mix together egg, vinegar and water, then add to flour mixture. Mix until dough is moist enough to form a ball. Wrap in plastic and chill 30 minutes.

Divide dough in half.  Put the other half back in the freezer.  On a lightly-floured surface and using a floured rolling pin, roll one half into a 12-inch circle.  Press dough into pie plate.

If making a single-crust pie, crimp now.  I'll tell you how below.  Prick bottom with fork, place in freezer while preparing pie filling.

Fill pie.

If making a double crust pie, roll out the second crust after you fill the first one.  Lay it gently on top of filling.

Crimp crusts together.  Cut vent holes in top, then sprinkle with sugar and maybe cinnamon, if you have cinnamon in the filling.  Bake according to directions of your pie recipe.

New pie maker tips

Making a pie crust from scratch the first time is scary.  But don't worry - worst case scenario, you can run out and buy a couple frozen pie crust if yours doesn't work.

Personally, I find the crust-making always goes easier if my mother is in the room.  She doesn't have to say anything or do anything - her mom aura just seems to help.

But here's a few tips to help you on your way, mom or no mom.

Lightly flip the dough on the flour when you start so it has a light coating. Then, after the first few strokes with the rolling pin, lift up the disc of dough and sprinkle a little more flour on your rolling surface. This will prevent sticking.

DON'T roll the rolling pin back and forth. Roll out from the center, in one direction only.  Otherwise it'll rip.  I learned this from Theresa Robles, who taught me how to roll tortillas.

The colder the dough, the better. Sometimes I use ice water instead of regular water.

To lift a pie crust and move it to the plate, gently roll it up like a Torah scroll on your rolling pin. Then unroll it into the pie pan.

If it rips anyway, don't panic.  Patch it together best you can. It doesn't matter at all on the bottom crust.  And it'll prove it's an authentic homemade crust if a seam shows on top.

To make a pretty crimped edge, make a "peace" sign your pointer and middle finger on one hand and put them on the edge of your pie crust with your fist over the middle of the pie and your fingers pointing toward the edge. Then use your thumb on your other hand to push the dough between your fingers.  If you're making a double-crusted pie, catch both layers of dough with your thumb.  (You can also do this to store-bought single crusts to make them look homemade, in a pinch. And yes, of course that pun was fully intended.)

You can use a knife or scissors to trim the excess dough.