Mason-Dixon Recipes

Flaky Pie Crust

I've found that anger and pie crusts soften after two days.

         — H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

The history of the pie shell has its roots in ancient Egypt. Early pie shells were in the form of flat, round or freeform crusty cakes called galettes consisting of a crust of ground oats, wheat, rye, or barley. Evidence of this can be found on the tomb walls of the Pharaoh Ramesses II, who ruled from 1304 to 1237 BC.

The Ancient Greeks are believed to have originated open pastry shells. In the plays of Aristophanes (5th century BC), there are mentions of small pastries filled with fruit. Nothing is known of the actual pastry used, but the Greeks certainly recognized the trade of pastry-cook as distinct from that of baker. (When fat is added to a flour-water paste it becomes a pastry.)

The Romans made a plain pastry of flour, oil, and water to keep in juices. It was not meant to be eaten; it filled the role of what was later called puff paste. A richer pastry, intended to be eaten, was used to make small pasties which were among the minor items served at banquets.

The Romans may have been the first to create a pie that included a top and bottom crust. A 2nd Century BC recipe for placenta (flat cake) in De Agri Cultura by Marcus Porcius Cato (Cato the Elder) may be one of the earliest recipes for a closed pie.

The 1st-century Roman cookbook Apicius makes various mentions of recipes which involve a pie case. By 160 BC, Roman statesman Marcus Porcius Cato, who wrote De Agri Cultura, notes the recipe for the most popular pie/cake called placenta was more like a modern-day cheesecake on a pastry base.

With the development of the Roman Empire and its efficient road transport, pie cooking spread throughout Europe. Roman pie makers generally used vegetable oils, such as olive oil, to make their dough.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup all-purpose flour
¹/₂ cup Crisco shortening
3 tbsp cold water
¹/₂ tsp salt
¹/₈ tsp sugar

DIRECTIONS

Combine flour, salt, sugar, and shortening. Cream together with a fork. Add cold water, 1 tbsp at first, and then 1 tbsp at a time to form a ball of pastry. Adding water a little at a time is the secret to flaky crust. Spread pastry out in bottom of pie baking dish.

Most pie recipes require a 400ºF preheated oven. Cook pies for 5 minutes, and then reduce temperature to 325ºF. Continue baking for 45 minutes.

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