TWO CRUST PIE: Fruit is the most popular filling for two crust pies. Any kind of fruit mixed with sugar, sometime spices and a thickener will make a delicious two crust fruit pie. Left-over chicken, pork and beef are also used to make a new and delicious meal when they are baked in small two-crust pies.

DEEP-DISH AND COBBLERS: Deep-dish and Cobblers are pies that are usually baked in a casserole pan. They are thick pies with a crust covering only the top. They are served by the spoonful rather than by the slice. Deep-Dish apple pie in New England is considered a way of life.

ONE CRUST PIE: Single crust pies are used to hold custard type pies such as pumpkin. Cream pies with meringue topping are single crust pies as are refrigerator pies with whipped cream topping.

MIXING PASTRY FOR PIE CRUSTS

The crust of a pie must provide support and often a cover for the pie filling. No matter if you make your crust from scratch or from a premix, it is very important that pie dough pastry is handled gently and not over mixed.

Pastry is the most popular crust for pies, but graham cracker, crushed cookies and coconut are also used. Pastry crusts are sometimes pre-baked before adding the filling. Graham cracker and crushed cookie types of crusts are usually pre-baked. Always check your recipe to make sure whether the crust is pre-baked or not.

PASTRY DOUGH

I. When using your mixer, make sure that you use the beaters designed for pastry mixing. Do not over mix the dough.

II. When using your blender, make sure that you do not over mix the dough. Blenders mix the dough very quickly.

III. Make sure that all your utensils are clean.

IV. Use chilled shortening and ice cold water in the mix.

V. Mix the chilled shortening and dry ingredients (except the salt) together first. These ingredients should be blended well. Water and salt will cause the pastry to be tough, so dissolve the salt in the ice water and add it last. Blend the dough only until the mix is not wet and sticky feeling. Adding the salt/water last with careful blending is the key to making tender, flaky pastry.

PIE PAN PREPARATION

I. Spray your pie pans with a release agent before lining them with graham cracker or crushed cookie crusts.

II. Use a spray without added flour.

III. A very thin coating of all-purpose shortening rubbed on the pie pan with your fingers will cause the crust release.

IV. When a refrigerator type filling is used in a graham cracker crust, it is best to place the pie on a warm surface just long enough to soften the bottom of the crust, causing it to release from the pan. Glass pans are pretty to look at and extremely useful in making pies, but they are very stubborn about releasing a crumb crust. You can wrap a hot towel around the bottom and sides of a pan to warm it enough for easy crust removal.

BAKING PIES

I. Turn on your oven about twenty minutes before using. This simple step will help insure the temperature will be more accurate when you start baking.

II. Set your oven at 365 degrees. When the heat shuts off, check the oven’s temperature with an oven thermometer.

III. Place the thermometer at different points (front and back) and at different levels (bottom, middle, top shelf). The results will let you see how to best bake pies in your unique oven.

IV. When your recipe reads — “bake for 45 minutes” set your timer for 35 minutes and check your pies. Each oven is different and it’s a good baking practice to check on baking progress. The most common mistake is to under bake fruit pies, but it’s awful to burn the top crust.

V. Top crusts baking too fast are usually caused by excessive top heat in the oven. Cover your pies with brown paper or an extra foil pan. When you spray or paint milk on the pie top it will brown off too fast.

VI. Thin the milk-wash with water and it will take longer to brown.

VII. Pans with a dark colored, non-stick coating will cause pies to bake good on their bottoms.

VIII. Always season new pans (before using) by applying a thin coat of vegetable oil and placing in a 400 degree oven for about twenty minutes. Wipe the pans clean, cool and prepare as usual for baking. Pans coated with a dark colored, non-stick coating or glass pans do not need seasoning.