Continued

Center the pie pan over the dough. Hold the pan with one hand and the cookie sheet with the other. Invert them, remove the cookie sheet and the dough is in the pan. Press it into pan, fill the shell and slide the second round of pastry over the top.

Basic Pie Crust
(made with vegetable shortening)
The recipe makes enough pastry for one double crust 9 inch pie or 1 large deep dish pie, 8 turnovers or 6 individual pies.

Ingredients
2 cups of unbleached all purpose flour 2/3 cup vegetable shortening or lard- cut into very small pieces and very well chilled 6 tablespoons of ice cold water, fruit juice or other suitable liquid.

Directions
Sift the flour and salt into a medium sized bowl. Add the chilled shortening or other fat. Rub the small bits of fat together with the flour using only your fingertips. Once the mixture is evenly blended it will resemble small cornflakes. Add one tablespoon of liquid at a time. Mash each tablespoon of liquid into the flour and fat using the back of a fork (much as you would mash a banana or a baked potato). As soon as you can form the dough into a rough but cohesive mass stop adding water and quickly form the dough into two thick round discs (about 2 inches thick and 5 to 6 inches in diameter). Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and chill.

Look for more recipes on Consolation Pies in the Fall issue of Vineyard Style Magazine.