Pie Crust with Orange Juice

Using orange juice instead of water in the crust enhances the fruit flavors in the filling. To prevent the dough from sticking, lightly flour the work surface and the dough, sprinkling with more flour as needed; also, roll just to the edges of the dough, not over them, rotating the dough often.

Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons chilled vegetable shortening, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 6 to 7 tablespoons chilled orange juice

Instructions

1. Combine flour, sugar and salt in large bowl; add butter. Using fingertips, rub in butter until pieces range in size from rice grains to peas.
2. Add shortening; rub in until pieces are size of small peas.
3. Sprinkle 5 tablespoons juice over, tossing gently with fork to blend.
4. Continue adding enough juice 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with a fork, to form moist clumps.
5. Gather dough into ball; divide into 2 parts, 1 slightly larger than the other. Flatten dough onto disks.
6. Wrap in plastic; chill for 1 1/2 hours or up to 1 day.

Attribution

Posted by liz at Recipe Goldmine May 26, 2001.