Easy As Pie

This recipe brings back sweet memories each time I see it.

Agnes lived in the farmhouse next door and ran a small dairy. I remember watching her go about the business of milking while we visited one day. She was probably in her seventies at the time. Looking back, I wish I would have walked up the road to help her. I could have learned so much from visiting with her, had I taken a bit more time for such things.

Agnes was a great cook. She made the most delicious pies to share with us. Delivered in one of her many pie pans, the coconut cream pies disappeared fast. Her kitchen was an amazing place to visit. I’m so glad she shared this recipe and a bit of pie advice with me. I’ve kept a copy of her pie crust recipe in my cookbook since high school. It’s a treasure to me and I thought I’d share it with my friends. I think Agnes would be pleased.

Measure your dry ingredients into a big mixing bowl.

Use a pastry blender to mix the shortening into the dry ingredients.

Mix your wet ingredients together before adding them to the flour.

Pour the water, egg, and vinegar mixture into a well in the center of the flour. Reserve a small amount of the liquid and add if needed during the mixing.

The flour should be wet, not soggy.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead it a few times.

Roll it nice and flat, a bit bigger that your pie pan.

Folding it in half makes it easier to move to the pie pan.

Cut the extra dough off, leaving just a bit to hang over the sides. Then, tuck the dough under to make a pretty edge.

You can easily pinch the dough to make a pretty, fluted edge.

Or use a measuring spoon to make pretty scallops.

Or use a pretty little cookie cutter and attach the pie dough using the left over egg/water/vinegar as glue.

So pretty!

And your littles will love using the extra dough to make their own “cookies.”

Have fun!