All for the Love of Pie Crust - Installment 2

With the rolling pin, lightly roll one way, then the next. Stop. Rub the dough with flour. Turn it over. Roll it lightly one way then the next.





Stop and flour it. Turn it over again and repeat as the size of the dough gets larger and larger. Try to keep it as round as possible. If it starts to get oblong, roll more in the other direction until it starts to get round. Stop frequently and flour it and turn it.

Please stop and enjoy this. I think it is a very pleasurable thing to do. Almost like a sculpter revealing the inner piece of art from the block of clay. You are creating the inner pie from a lump of shortening, flour, salt and water. Try to see the infinite possibilities of the universe from this. If this is possible, what more fantastic and amazing things might you be able to achieve. Allow the pie crust to empower you. I know I'm crazy about this stuff, but perhaps there is something here you can take away for yourself. I hope.

Another lesson here is to be easy on yourself. A messy pie crust is always better than no pie crust. If it starts to tear, press down on the tear to seal it. This recipe makes plenty for a top and a bottom crust. There is some for waste.

And what is the worse thing that will happen? Into the garbage and start over. A little more shortening, flour, water and salt. It is not worth ruining your day to fret over pie crust. Another good lesson to take into life.



Now lift the least attractive, least round of the two shells into a sprayed pie plate. Pat it gently into place.



Here are the apples. I was allowed to take a piece of apple and eat it now. Wet, sweet, almost drippy, cinnamon, nutmeg. I still do it. More than one. A few bits of butter on top. Touch the butter and smush it between my fingers. Total bliss.



lay the top crust overall and crimp the edge.




Cover the edges with aluminum foil or one of these cool little things and bake until it turns into a pie. I line my nastiest cookie sheet with aluminum foil and put it on the bottom rack. The pie is on the rack next higeher. Take the time to arrange your racks. The mujority of the oven is above the pie. My pies bubble over often, so the aluminum foil catches the bubble over.



The "B"? You need to poke some holes in the top for steam to excape. My mother poked holes in the shape of the initial of her maiden name, "R". The initial of my maiden name is "B".