Recipes

To Bake an unfilled pie shell, preheat oven to 425° F.

Mix flour, salt and sugar* in a bowl. Cut in broken up pieces of frozen lard until mixture resembles very small peas. Sprinkle with icy cold water a tablespoon at a time until moist and able to hold together. Shape into a flattened round, wrap in wax paper and pop in the fridge for about 10 minutes. After chilling in fridge, turn out onto floured pastry cloth or board. If making two smaller crusts or a two crust pie, divide pastry dough in half.

Roll out with a floured (and stockinged) rolling pin to about 1/4 inch thick. Try not to use too much extra flour as it will make the crust tough. Roll about 1 inch larger than the dish or pan you are using. Roll onto pin or fold twice to transfer to dish/pan. Unroll or unfold pastry into pan. Try not to stretch the pastry as this causes shrinking during the baking.

To Bake an unfilled pie shell, preheat oven to 425° F. Prick bottom and sides well with fork. To minimize shrinkage, lay a large square of wax paper over crust and fill with uncooked rice or dried bean or pie weight chain. Bake pastry 12-15 minutes, just until tan. Remove paper and weights. Cool before filling unless recipe directs otherwise.

To bake a fill pie shell, follow directions given in individual recipe.

*Omit sugar if using for a savory/main dish.