Okay, so I’ve been wanting to get better at making pies, and the crust is always the trickiest part, right? I decided to tackle a pie crust sheet – basically, making a big, flat, ready-to-go crust. It sounded easier than wrestling with dough in a pie pan, and I figured I could just cut out the shapes I needed later.
Getting Started
First, I grabbed my usual pie crust recipe – the one my grandma always used. It’s a pretty basic one: flour, salt, shortening, and ice water. Nothing fancy, but it always works.
- I measured out the flour and salt into a big bowl.
- Then, I cut in the shortening. I used a pastry blender, which is like this little tool with blades, to work the shortening into the flour until it looked like coarse crumbs. You can use your fingers too, but the pastry blender makes it quicker.
- Next, I sprinkled in the ice water, a little at a time. The key here is to use just enough water so the dough comes together. Too much, and your crust will be tough.
- I mixed it all with a fork until it started to form a ball.
Rolling it Out
This is where things got a little different. Instead of shaping the dough into a disk for a pie pan, I wanted a big, flat sheet.
- I dumped the dough onto a lightly floured surface.
- I kneaded it for a little bit, but not much. I just needed it to be nice and cohesive.
- I grabbed my rolling pin and started to roll it out. I tried to be as gentle as possible.
- Roll the dough to make sure the dough would not stick to the table.
- I rolled the dough out into a large rectangle, trying to keep it about 1/8-inch thick. It wasn’t perfect, but it was pretty close.
The Tricky Part
Now, I needed to get this giant sheet of dough onto something I could store it on. I had a big baking sheet lined with parchment paper ready to go.
- I carefully folded the dough in half, then in half again, to make it easier to move.
- I lifted it up and unfolded it onto the parchment-lined baking sheet. It tore a little in a couple of places, but I just patched it up with my fingers. No big deal.
Chilling Out
Before doing anything else, I popped the whole baking sheet into the fridge. Chilling the dough is super important – it helps relax the gluten and makes the crust flakier. I left it in there for at least an hour.
What’s Next?
So, now I have this big sheet of pie crust, ready to go whenever I need it. When I make a pie next time, I will just cut out the circle and drape it into my pie plate. And since it’s already chilled, I can skip that step later. I think this is going to make things a lot easier!
I would say this method works for me!
