Easy Doughs It!

Appears in
The New Food Processor Bible: 30th Anniversary Edition
The New Food Processor Bible

By Norene Gilletz

Published 2011

  • About
  • For a single prebaked 9-inch pie shell, roll out the dough and place it in the pie plate. Trim the edge, leaving a ½-inch overhang. Fold the edge under to form a rim. Flute the edge, then press firmly against the pie plate. Prick the bottom of the pastry all over with a fork. Chill for half an hour before baking; this prevents the crust from shrinking. Bake at 425°F for about 10 minutes, until golden.
  • For a partially baked pie shell, prepare the pastry shell as above, then line it with aluminum foil. Weigh the foil down with dried beans or uncooked rice. Bake at 400°F for 10 minutes. Remove the foil and beans. (Careful—don’t spill the beans!) Bake 5 minutes longer.
  • For a 2-crust pie, roll out the bottom crust and place it in the pan. Trim the overhanging edges. Fill as desired. Roll out the top crust and fold it in half. Place the top crust over the filling and unfold it carefully. Trim the top pastry, leaving a 1-inch overhang around the rim. Fold the edge of the top crust under the bottom crust (not under the pan). Press the edges together to seal, using 1 of the following methods. Cut several slits in the top crust to release steam while the pie is baking. (Don’t cut the slits if you’re freezing the unbaked pie.)
  • FORK EDGE: Dip the tines of a fork in flour, then press firmly to make a decorative edge.
  • SPOON EDGE: Press the rounded tip of a teaspoon into the edge to form a scalloped design.
  • RUFFLED EDGE: Place your thumb and index finger about ½ inch apart along the rim of the pie plate, pointing towards the center. With the index finger of the opposite hand, pull the pastry gently towards the center. Repeat every inch or so, forming a rounded, ruffled edge.
  • Save the scraps of dough. Roll them out and cut out shapes with tiny cookie cutters. Brush the bottoms of the cut-outs with water and arrange them attractively on top of the pie.
  • FOR A SHINY TOP, brush the crust with milk before baking. For a glazed top, brush with beaten egg. For a sugary top, brush with water, then sprinkle with sugar.
  • TO MAKE A LATTICE TOP, use a sharp knife or pastry wheel to cut dough into twelve ½-inch strips. (Use a ruler to keep the strips straight.) Carefully lay half the strips 1 inch apart across the top of the filled pie. Arrange the remaining strips at right angles. (To create a woven effect, lift every other strip as you arrange the strips at right angles.) Trim the ends even with the edge of the pie. Press the ends of the strips into the rim of the crust. Fold the bottom pastry over the latticework. Seal and flute.
  • If the edges of the pie start to brown too quickly, cover the edge with strips of foil.
  • SLICE AND ROLL TECHNIQUE: For hand pies and turnovers, make a double recipe of Cream Cheese Pastry or Flaky Ginger Ale Pastry, but use butter. Shape dough into a log about 8 inches long, wrap well and chill until needed. With a sharp knife, cut dough into ¾-inch slices, then, on a lightly floured surface, roll each slice into a circle. Fill, fold in half and crimp edges to seal.