[Sca-cooks] Re: questions about pie crust

[Vincent Cuenca]

I've had a certain amount of luck with Italian torta crusts:

1 1/4 cups sifted flour
2T oil
up to 1/2 cup water
1/8 t salt

Sift the flour and salt, then add the oil and mix in with your hands.  The
flour should cling together a bit.  Add the water slowly, mixing until the
dough comes together and all the flour is incorporated.  Knead until smooth,
then  cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour.  This
dough is quite strong, and will roll out to a near-transparent circle 14
inches in diameter.  You can take one third of the dough and roll out out
for a smaller top crust.  Put your filling in the center,spread out to about
two inches from the edge, and then lay your top crust on.  Fold up the edges
to meet each other and crimp them together to seal.  Poke a few holes for
steam.  Bake on a stone or cookie sheet.  The pastry crumbles rather than
flakes, but is darn good and freezes well.

Hope this helps.

Vicente

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It's great to be known, but it's even better to be known as strange.
-Takeshi Kaga

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