The secret to a perfect pie begins with the crust. That’s why I am utterly in love with this Vinegar Pie Crust recipe. It’s a recipe that’s been passed down in my family for generations, and I’m thrilled to share it with you today. Its origin traces back to our great-grandmothers, who had a knack for turning simple ingredients into extraordinary dishes. The addition of vinegar in the pie crust is a game-changer. It might sound unusual, but vinegar creates a beautifully tender crust that’s incredibly easy to work with. This recipe will give you a pie crust that’s wonderfully flaky, adding the perfect crunch to your sweet or savory pies. Not to mention, it’s an absolute joy to roll out – no more struggling with crumbly dough! This Vinegar Pie Crust recipe holds a special place in my heart, and I hope it will in yours too. So let’s get those aprons on and start baking!
Ingredients
- 4 c. flour
- 1 Tbsp. sugar
- pinch of salt
- 1 3/4 c. shortening
- 1/2 c. cold water
- 1 Tbsp. vinegar
- 1 egg
Baking Instructions
- Combine flour, sugar and salt.
- With a pastry blender, cut shortening into flour.
- In a small bowl, combine water, vinegar and egg.
- Beat this mixture.
- Pour liquid mixture into flour mixture.
- Use a fork to lift ingredients until enough moisture is spread to form a ball with your hands.
- This makes a flaky and tender pie crust and forms much easier than most.
Calorie: 0
Total cooking time:
Difficulty level:
The Great Vinegar Pie Crust Saga
So there I was, standing in my kitchen, staring down the barrel of a gun. Okay, okay, it wasn’t a gun, but a recipe. A recipe for Vinegar Pie Crust. I know what you’re thinking, “Vinegar in a pie crust? Has she lost her mind?” But stick with me, folks. Trust me, it’s worth it.
Battle of the Ingredients
Lined before me like soldiers in a battlefield were the ingredients: 4 c. flour, 1 Tbsp. sugar, a pinch of salt, 1 3/4 c. shortening, 1/2 c. cold water, 1 Tbsp. vinegar, and 1 egg. They were looking at me with a challenge in their eyes. Especially that vinegar. I think it was smirking.
The Flour Power Showdown
First things first. I combined the flour, sugar, and salt in a big bowl. Now, I don’t know if you’ve ever tried to mix flour and sugar together before, but let me tell you, it’s like trying to get two cats in a bathtub. They just don’t want to coexist peacefully.
Shortening: The Unlikely Hero
Next, with a pastry blender in hand, I cut the shortening into the flour. Yes, you read that right. I cut it. Like a ninja. If you’ve never done this before, it’s quite the experience. It’s like giving a massage to a stubborn piece of dough, showing it who’s boss.
The Vinegar Twist
In a small bowl, I combined the water, vinegar, and egg. I could almost hear the vinegar hissing at me, like a snake, as I added it to the water. I then beat this mixture like it owed me money. In it went, pouring into the flour mixture. It was like watching a great battle, the vinegar attacking the flour, the egg jumping into the fray.
The Final Stir
With a fork, I started lifting the ingredients together, making sure enough moisture spread around to form a nice, obedient ball. Let me tell you, this was more of a workout than my last Zumba class. But when it all came together? Oh, the beauty of it. The flaky, tender pie crust, looking at me like a newborn baby. It was worth every single bead of sweat.
The Aftermath
After all the flour dust had settled, there it was. My beautiful Vinegar Pie Crust. It was a sight to behold, like a phoenix rising from the ashes of a culinary war zone. And let me tell you, it tasted even better than it looked.
So the next time you feel like unleashing your inner pastry chef, go ahead and give this vinegar pie crust a try. Who knows? You might just find yourself writing a food blog about it.
