Flakey Pie Crust

PREP TIME: 15 minutes plus 1/2 hour chilling
COOK TIME: 15 minutes unfilled; variable if baking filled

Ingredients

This recipe was sent to me by my friend Bernice Humphrey.  It makes a light flakey pastry suitable for sweet or savoury pies/fillings.  The recipe originates from a Canadian Mennonite cookbook, first published in 1962.  The Mennonites are a religious group who live in their own communities and are known for their simple but delicious cooking. 

This recipe also works well halved.  If you wish to make the full amount, you can store the uncooked pastry dough in the fridge or freezer.

5C regular flour
2 t baking powder
1 t salt
450 gms butter
2T white vinegar
2 eggs

 

 

 

Directions

Sift the dry ingredients together.  Work in the butter with your fingertips or in a food processor until it has a crumbly consistency.  In a 1 cup measuring cup, beat the two eggs, add the vinegar and then top up with cold water to the 1 cup measure mark.  Add this liquid mixture gradually to the flour until it comes together.  You may not need all the liquid.  Form the dough into a ball, cover with clingfilm and refrigerate for 30 minutes before rolling.  You can keep any unused dough in the fridge for a few days or well-wrapped in the freezer for several months. 

Makes 5 single pastry crusts.

 

Source:  Mennonite Treasury of Recipes. December, 1962, Manitoba, Canada.