Recipes

Pie Crust (Two Crust)

Recipe No. 393 from the U.S. Army's WWII cookbook — Pies. Quantities are exactly as printed, for 100 servings; a scaled-down 8-serving version is in the notes.

Army TM10-412 · Desserts · Pie

Serves Crust for eighteen 9-inch pies.
View source — TM 10-412 Army Recipes (War Department, 1944) ↗

Recipe No. 393 from the U.S. Army’s WWII cookbook — Pies. Quantities are exactly as printed, for 100 servings; a scaled-down 8-serving version is in the notes.

Ingredients

  • Flour, sifted — 7½ pounds (7½ No. 56 dippers)
  • Salt — 4 ounces (8 mess kit spoons)
  • Shortening — 4½ pounds (2¼ No. 56 dippers)
  • Water (variable)* — 1½ quarts (1½ No. 56 dippers)

Directions

  1. Combine flour, salt, and shortening by cutting with a knife or rubbing between the fingers until shortening is in particles about the size of dried peas.
  2. Add water to flour, sprinkling a small amount at a time over the mixture; mix lightly with a fork until all particles are moistened and in small lumps. Place portions that stick together to one side of the bowl before adding more water.
  3. Mix ingredients as little as possible to form a stiff dough (if dough is undermixed, the finished crust will have raw spots; if overmixed, the crust will be tough).
  4. Place dough on floured board or table top. Divide into as many portions as there are pies to be made. Cut each portion into two pieces, each about 3 inches in diameter. Use one piece for bottom crust and the other for the top.
  5. Work with one piece of dough at a time; keep remainder in refrigerator. Sprinkle flour on dough to be used for bottom crust. Roll dough, with floured rolling pin, into circular shape, 3/16 inch thick and slightly larger than pie pan. Use light, even strokes, rolling from center of dough out in every direction.
  6. Roll dough onto rolling pin and unroll onto pie pan; press out all air between pan and dough.
  7. Dampen outer rim of bottom crust with water to help seal top and bottom crusts together.
  8. Roll out top crust in same way as bottom crust. Pierce dough with a fork in several places, making an attractive pattern, to allow steam to escape during baking.
  9. Roll crust onto rolling pin and unroll onto filled lower crust.
  10. Remove excess dough by pressing hands against rim of pie pan. Press the two layers of dough together and crimp with a fork or crimp between thumb and forefinger. This seals the two crusts together and helps to keep juicy pies from running over. Reserve excess dough for bottom crust of next pie. (Always use fresh dough for top crusts.)
  11. Bake pies in hot oven (425° to 450° F.) 40 to 45 minutes. Remove from oven when filling reaches boiling point and crust is golden brown.

Notes

SCALED TO 8 SERVINGS (the original is ÷12.5): Flour, sifted — 9⅔ oz Salt — about 2 tsp Shortening — 5¾ oz Water (variable) — 7⅔ tbsp

The amount of water needed will vary according to the strength of the flour and the amount of fat used.

— TM 10-412, Army Recipes (War Department, 15 August 1944), recipe No. 393, Pies. Army measures: 1 No. 56 dipper = 1 qt; 1 No. 55 dipper = 1¾ qt; 1 mess kit cup = 1½ pints.