Myrtles Never-Fail Pie Crust
The best pies start with a flaky homemade crust, which is a lot easier to make than it seems. This crust recipe is called never-fail for a reason. It is an extremely easy dough to work with and is perfect for use in both sweet and savory pies.
Ingredients:
4 cups flour
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1 cup shortening
3/4 cup unsalted butter
1 egg
1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon cold water
Method:
Combine flour, salt and sugar, and sift into a large bowl.
Using a pastry blender or two forks, cut shortening and butter into flour mixture until it is fully incorporated and looks like coarse meal.
In a small bowl, beat egg and water thoroughly.
With a fork, slowly incorporate the egg mixture into the flour mixture until a soft dough is formed. You may not need all of the egg mixture.
Divide dough into three evenly-shaped balls, and tightly wrap each one in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least one hour. Can be refrigerated for several days, or frozen for up to three months.
When ready to use, roll the dough to the appropriate size between two sheets of plastic wrap. This will help keep the dough from sticking. Remove the plastic wrap and place into the pie dish.
Use the crust according to your pie recipe.