Eliza Leslie recommended familiar ingredients and techniques in her recipe for pie crust. “This paste will do for family use when covered pies are wanted,” she wrote, and “should always be eaten fresh.” This recipe was adapted by culinary historian Nancy Carter Crump.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into pea-size pieces
- 1/4 cup lard or vegetable shortening, chilled
- 5 to 6 tablespoons ice water
Directions
1. Sift the flour and salt together.
2. With a pastry blender or by hand, work the butter and lard into the flour until the mixture is well combined and resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
3. Blend in about 5 tablespoons of the water, mixing until the dough comes together. Add up to 1 more tablespoon of water, if needed.
4. Divide the dough in half, and shape into disks. Wrap individually in waxed paper, and refrigerate for at least 2 and up to 24 hours. Wrapped disks can be sealed in a plastic bag and frozen for later use.
Enough for one double-crust 9- or 10-inch pie