This pie crust recipe is from Bon Appetit's Oct '98 issue. I've used it exclusively since then :-)

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 Tbs sugar

1 tsp salt

1 cup (2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1" pieces

8 Tbs ice water

1 large egg yolk

1 tsp whipping cream

Blend flour, sugar and salt in a food processor. Add butter; cut in using on/off turns until butter is cut into 1/4" pieces. Add 7 Tbs water and blend until moist clumps form, adding more water by tablespoonfuls if dough is dry. Gather dough into a ball; divide into 2 pieces. Flatten pieces into disks; wrap in plastic. Chill at least 30 minutes. Can be prepared a day ahead. Keep refrigerated. Let soften slightly at room temp before rolling out.

Stir yolk and cream together and brush over top of pie before you bake it.

I bake my pies for an hour or just over at 375 F, per the recipe this crust was included with (which was an apple/cranberry pie).

I've never needed more than 8 Tbs water btw. If you add the 8th tablespoon and the dough still seems dry, pull it out of the processor and mix gently by hand and see if it comes together quickly. The times my dough still seems to dry it actually hasn't been, and if I'd added more water it would've been too wet.

I typically make an all-butter crust. 3 c. flour to 1 c. fat, 1 tsp. cider vinegar, 1 egg, enough cold water (I never measure, sorry - just add bit by bit until it's right). Mix as usual for pastry. Best to work with well-chilled. I prefer at least overnight in the fridge. Freezes well.

Thanks to you both. I've tried all-butter crust before, but without the egg the texture can be a little weird. I'll try adding an egg this time.

Should have indicated that my recipe will make 4 crusts.

I use Rhome410's food processor recipe with all butter. The trick, for me, is to use frozen butter just warm enough to get a knife through, and cut it into fairly small dice first so it doesn't get overworked.

Thanks, plllog.

As far as I know, Hindus do not have a proscription against pork, but they do often avoid beef. Is your nephew's bride vegetarian, or are you just assuming?

Some Hindus do avoid pork, too. I used to know many at work. A few would eat poultry, lamb or goat - but I can't think of one there that would eat pork. Others were strict vegetarians. Depended on the region of India they came from.

If she's a ghee eater, butter is okay. Perhaps it will suffer by comparison with a lard crust (different sized fat globules according to Grainlady), but it's fine. I've made vegan pie crust and it was awful, but I have enough of an open mind to think someone somewhere has made a good one--and hope you don't have to try!

Is your nephew's bride vegetarian, or are you just assuming?

Yes, she is vegetarian. When he wants meat, she leaves the house till he's done cooking. I'm afraid they'll have to take a very long walk on Thanksgiving day.

Her father will not even eat from a plate that has ever held meat, no matter how many times it's been washed since then.

ETA plllog, I've made some raw vegan crusts from ground up nuts and dates that weren't bad, although you can only eat a very little of that at a time.

Hmm, now that I think about it, someplace I have a pretty good vegan recipe for cranberry squares, something like lemon bars. Maybe I should suggest those instead of the pie.

I wouldn't go down the vegan route unless you're sure she IS vegan as you'll get fantastic results with an all butter pastry. I think egg makes pastry hard. All butter is totally melt in the mouth. JMHO!

Thanks, Islay. Now that I think about it, when I made butter crust before I was using Publix butter which has a lot of water in it. I'll try President this time.

The water in butter is what makes the flakes, but I imagine too much water might not be good. :) I just use Clover (the organic milk I buy) or Organic Valley, and save the fancy butter for the table, but those two may be fancier than big chain store brand. Whole wheat crust chilling now for fig pie. :)

Irish butter has a higher butterfat ratio in it also so look for Irish butter to make a pie crust like Kerrygold

Ooh, plllog, fig pie. I'm so jealous. For whatever reason, both President and Kerrygold are usually cheaper here than Organic Valley. I love Organic Valley pasture butter when it's available, but it rarely is, and I wouldn't waste that on crust.

Thanks, ghoghunter. President is from France, so it's similar that way.

Thanks for the recipe link. It looks really good, not too much sugar in it.

Love figs! Have saved your recipe, Plllog.

My cousin, the family pie maker, makes a vegetable oil crust, no butter or animal products. There are tons of recipes on the web with good reviews. I dont make pie but check epicurious, food network, all recipes, simply recipes, smitten kitchen, etc

Thanks, westsider. It turns out that it's all moot, since I just picked up a gig for Thanksgiving day so I won't be going over there after all.

I've almost always made pate brisee & always receive compliments on it.

I have another oil crust recipe I often use for savory pies, but it can be used for sweet ones as well...

Oil Pastry

2 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup oil

1 tsp. salt

approx. 6 Tbsp ice water

Stir salt into flour.

Cut oil into flour until evenly distributed.

Add ice water, a little @ a time, tossing to mix. Mixture will be pasty @ first, but will firm up.

Roll between 2 sheets of waxed paper - no extra flour necessary.

Makes a tender, crumbly crust.

Thanks, carolb. I like oil crusts for savory pies, too.

Thanks, Carolb! That sounds much better than the vegan pastry I tried making.

BTW, the fig pie was very well received. The figs retained their shape, rather than going jammy as usual, which made the pie difficult to serve, but it's still yummy.

You're welcome = )

That recipe was from (I think) Wesson Oil in the late 40s/early 50s, from my collection of old recipe pamphlets & home magazines.

Some of those old recipes are so good! There seem to have been two major categories, from what I can tell: Corporate cooks, who didn't actually have any home cooking experience or expertise, making up random weird stuff and home cooks, some of whom may have had home ec. degrees, but with or without actually cooked daily and fed people and had a passion for it, who were hired by newspapers and magazines, and also some food companies, to come up with "ladies' interest" recipes, and who were more like the better TV chefs today who come from cooking rather than the food industry, and made good food well.