Hot water crust
Ingredients
- 200 ml warm water 1 cup
- 75 g unsalted butter 1/2 cup
- 75 g lard 1/2 cup
- 450 g all-purpose flour 3 cups
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
Instructions
- Place the water, butter, and lard in a saucepan, heat gently until a low boil..
- Place flour and salt into a large bowl, and whisk in the egg and oil.
- Add the melted fat mixture, and stir together with a wooden spoon, or cut in with knives. Make sure to scrape the bowl while combining the dough.
- Gently knead for 1-2 minutes. You should end with a greasy dough that's smooth and shiny.
- Form a ball, cover with clingwrap, and chill for an hour.
- Save 1/3 for the top portion. Roll the big part to 13" diameter to make a 9" deep-dish pie, or 3 x 6.5" or 2 x 8" pies.
- Bake at 375F for around 25 minutes, or until the top of the pie is golden brown.
Notes
- The amounts in the notes are slightly more than the metric, but are approximately the same ratios for flour-water-fat mixture.
- Check the edges of the pie crust after 20 minutes. If they are significantly more brown than the middle, cover with a pie shield, or gently wrap some aluminum foil around the outer edge of the pie.
- Optional - add up to 1/4 cup sugar if you want a sweet crust.
- Optional - beat an egg and wash the top crust before baking.