Make It Ahead: Dough can be frozen for up to 1 month.

To Roll Out Dough: On a lightly floured surface, roll dough out into a circle slightly larger than the pie pan you're using. Roll pastry around the rolling pin and unroll into the pan. With the knuckles of your fingers, gently ease the pastry into the pan, allowing for shrinkage.

Trim the edge with a paring knife and decorate the rim of the crust with the times of the fork, or you can make little cutouts with a cookie cutter, and with a little water, press them lightly around the rim of the pan.

To Prebake an (empty) Pie Shell: (also called blind baking):

Prick the bottom of the pastry lightly with a fork and line it with parchment paper. cover the bottom of the crust with pie weights. (if you don't have pie weights, you can use rice, uncooked of course ).

Bake in a preheated 375 oven for 20-30 minutes. Remove from oven, take out weights (be careful, they will be very hot) and parchment, and return to the oven for an additional 5-10 minutes, until golden brown. Transfer to a cooling rack. In order to keep the piecrust crisp for up to 1 day, leave it uncovered on a baking rack.

TIPS & TRICKS:

1. The Secret to the perfect piecrust is COLD, COLD, COLD butter, shortening & water!2. Cut the butter in first, then the shortening. (leave the shortening in the refrigerator until you're ready for it, so it stays nice and cold)3. Leave little bits of butter and shortening in the dough for flakiness.4. Use ice cold water...and start with about 6 tablespoons and go from there.5. If you have a kitchen scale, use it to measure the flour. Believe it or not, you'll get a slightly different measurement when you use a scale rather than measuring cups. (I've done it both ways, and it still comes out perfect every time...so you can decide which one to use)6. When you roll out the dough, roll from the center out and turn ¼ turn between rolls, and you'll make a perfect circle! 7. This recipe will make a 2-crust pie (or 2 separate pies), so when you're working with ½ the dough, leave the other ½ in the refrigerator so it doesn't get too warm.

Good Luck & Happy Baking!

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