[last updated 29 March 2021]

Every Thanksgiving, we make as many as 20 pies on PIE day, which is the day before Thanksgiving. Not to be confused with March 14, another great excuse for Pi Day pie making.

Pie Crust 2 10 inch rounds
keys: keep everything cold
handle crust as little as possible with hands

2 3/4 c all purpose flour: sift, then measure
1 tsp salt
16 oz COLD butter- 2 sticks cut into 1/2 inch slices

1/3 to 1/2 cup ice water. (May use 2 tbsp vodka in place of some of water)

mix flour and salt together. keep cold!
put ice cold butter and into bowl and cut into flour mixture with pastry blender tool or use two knives until consistency of small peas

use fork and mix in 1/4 cup ice water keep stirring in about a Tablespoon at a time until it holds together

quickly shape into two balls, wrap in plastic and put in fridge until you roll out

i roll out on a 16 x 16 mat. dusted with flour. dust the rolling pin too
start in center and roll to outside, gradually making circle larger until about 1/8 inch thick. i roll up crust on rolling pin often to make sure it is not sticking also

after rolled out , cut in circle about 2 inches wider than pan for bottom crust. roll up on rolling pin and lay gently in pan. put in fridge until ready to fill. roll out top crust. make about an inch wider than pan. put in filling roll up top crust and unroll onto pie top.

roll edges under and crimp with fork or pinch between thumb and index finger of both hands

make a few slashes in pie top for steam release. roll out extra scraps and make fun cutouts to decorate.

for rasberry or cherry pies i just cut out a lot of leaf shapes and put them close together

bake at 450 for 10 minutes and then 350 for 40-50 minutes until nicely browned