How to Make a Single Crust Pie

• If the dough is sticky and difficult to handle, refrigerate it until firm. The easiest way to roll out pastry dough without sticking is to use a rolling pin cover and pastry cloth. Lightly flour the covered rolling pin and pastry cloth before using.
  
  

• Handle the dough quickly and lightly. A tough pie crust is often the result of too much flour worked into the dough or over-handling.
  
  
• Be careful not to pull or stretch the dough, as this will cause it to shrink during baking.
  
  

1. Combine flour and salt in large bowl. Cut in shortening using pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture forms pea-sized pieces.
   

   Use a pastry blender to cut in the shortening.

2. Sprinkle with water, 1 tablespoon at a time. Toss with fork until mixture holds together. Press together to form a ball.
   

   Toss with a fork until the mixture holds together.

3. Press dough between hands to form 5- to 6-inch disk.
   
   
4. Lightly flour surface and rolling pin. Roll dough in short strokes, starting in middle of disk and rolling out toward edge. Rotate dough 1/4 turn to right. Sprinkle more flour under dough and on rolling pin as necessary to prevent sticking. Continue to roll and rotate dough 2 to 3 more times.
   
   
5. Roll dough into circle 1/8-inch thick and at least 1 inch larger than inverted pie plate.
   

   Roll dough larger than inverted pie plate.

6. Place rolling pin on 1 side of dough. Gently roll dough over rolling pin once.
   

   Roll dough over the rolling pin.

7. Carefully lift rolling pin and dough. Unroll dough over pie plate. Ease dough into pie plate with fingertips. Do not stretch dough.
   

   Carefully unroll dough over pie plate.

8. Trim crust, leaving 1/2-inch overhang; fold overhang under. Flute edge of crust as desired.
   
   
9. To flute pie into a special, sunburst effect, press the edge of the crust flat. Cut slits around edge of crust at 1-inch intervals, cutting in toward center about 1/2 inch.
   

   Cut slits around the edge of the crust.

10. Fold dough flap under on a diagonal at each slit to form a point.
    

    Fold at the slits to form a point.

11. Cover pie crust with plastic wrap and refrigerate 30 minutes to allow dough to relax.
    
    
12. To blind-bake crust, pierce crust with fork at 1/4-inch intervals, about 40 times.
    
    
13. Cut a square of foil about 4 inches larger than pie plate. Line crust with foil. Fill with dried beans, uncooked rice or ceramic pie weights.
    

    Fill foil-lined crust with dried beans.

14. Bake in a 425°F oven for 10 minutes or until set. Remove from oven. Gently remove foil lining and beans. Return crust to oven and bake 5 minutes or until very light brown. Cool crust completely on a wire rack before filling and finishing the pie according to recipe directions.
    

    Bake until crust is a very light brown.

Learn about double crust pies in the next section.

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