Pecan Valley Pecans

• 1½ cups blanched almonds
• 1 egg white
• ¼ cup sugar

1. Preheat oven to 375ºF.
2. Using a knife, chop the almonds fine. Or chop them briefly in a food processor.
3. Beat the egg white until stiff and gradually fold in the sugar. Fold in the chopped almonds and press the mixture firmly over the bottom and sides of an oiled 9-inch pie plate. Bake the shell until light brown. Remove to a rack and cool.

Yield: 6 tart shells, or 2 9-inch pie shells

2 cups flour
½ teaspoon salt
⅔ cups shortening
⅓ cup cold water, approximately

1. If using a food processor, put the flour, salt and shortening into the con­tainer. Start processing while pouring the water through the funnel. Add only enough water so that the dough holds to­gether and can be shaped into a ball.
2. If using a pastry blender or 2 knives, chop in the shortening until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Sprinkle water slowly over the top of the flour, while toss­ing the mixture up from the bottom of the bowl with a fork. After about three quar­ters of the water has been added, press the dampened part of the dough into a ball and set aside. Add only enough water to dampen the remaining flour mixture. Press all the dough together.
3. Divide the dough into 2 portions, one slightly larger than the other. If the kitchen is hot, chill the dough for ½ hour before rolling.
4. Place the larger ball of dough on a lightly floured pastry cloth or board, pat in all directions with a floured rolling pin and then roll from the center out in all directions, loosening the pastry and re-flouring the cloth and rolling pin as nec­essary. Roll into a round ⅛ inch thick and 2 inches larger in diameter than the top of the pie plate.
5. Fold gently into quarters, place in the plate and unfold. Fit the dough into the plate loosely and press against the plate without stretching it. Trim the edge slightly larger than the outside rim of the plate. Add desired filling.
6. Stack the pastry trimmings on the re­maining ball of dough and roll until about 1 inch larger than the top of the plate. Fold gently into quarters and cut several small gashes to allow steam to escape.
7. Moisten the rim of the lower crust, place top crust on the filled plate and un­fold. Do not stretch the pastry. Tuck the rim of the top beneath the edge of the undercrust and flute with the fingers, mak­ing a tight seal.
8. Bake as directed for the filling used.

Yield: Pastry for 9-inch double-crust pie, or 6 tarts

Variations

Baked Pie Shell
Line pie plate with pastry for bottom crust and prick well with a fork around bottom and sides. Bake in preheated 450ºF oven 12 to 15 minutes, or until golden. Cool be­fore adding desired filling.

Lattice-Top Pie Crust
Roll dough for top crust into a circle and cut into ½-inch strips. Moisten the rim of the bottom crust with water and place half of the strips parallel on the filled pie shell, spacing evenly. Repeat with remaining strips in opposite direction. Attach strips firmly to rim.

Tart Shells
Cut pastry into 5-inch rounds and fit over inverted muffin tins or custard cups; or line tart shells, fitting pastry loosely into pans and pressing it firmly around the sides. Prick well with a fork and bake in a preheated 450ºF oven 10 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown.

Brazil nuts
2 tablespoons sugar

1. Using a food processor, chop enough Brazil nuts to make 1 cup.
2. Blend the ground nuts with the sugar. Using the back of a tablespoon or the fingers, press the mixture against the bottom and sides of a 9-inch pie plate.
3. Bake the shell in a preheated 400ºF oven until light brown, about 8 minutes. Cool.

Yield: 1 9-inch pie crust

½ cup unsalted butter
1 cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup granulated sugar
½ cup Pecan Valley Pecan Pieces

1. Preheat oven to 375ºF.
2. Blend together butter, flour and granulated sugar until the mixture is crumbly. Stir in pecans. Press the mixture into a 9-inch pie plate.
3. Bake in a preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes.

Yield: 1 9-inch pie shell

1½ cups chocolate cookie crumbs
¼ cup unsalted butter; softened
1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1. Preheat oven to 375ºF.
2. In a large mixing bowl mix ingredients until thoroughly blended.
3. Press into a 9-inch pie pan.
4. Bake in a preheated oven for 8 minutes. Cool.

Yield: 1 9-inch pastry shell

1 8½-ounce package chocolate wafers
¾ cups Pecan Valley Pecan Pieces; finely chopped
½ cup unsalted butter, melted

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
2. Crumble cookies to make about 2 cups crumbs.
3. In a large mixing bowl combine cookie crumbs with pecans and butter. Press into 9-inch pie pan and press up sides to form high rim.
4. Bake in a preheated oven for 10 minutes. Cool.

Yield: 1 9-inch pastry shell

2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
¾ cup Crisco
½ cup water

1. In a medium bowl stir together flour and salt. Using a pastry blender cut Crisco until pieces are pea-size.
2. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon cold water over part of the flour mixture, gently toss with a fork. Put moistened dough to the side of the bowl, repeat moistening flour mixture, using 1 tablespoon of water at a time, until all the flour mixture is moistened.
3. On a lightly floured surface, use your hands to slightly flatten dough. Roll form center to edges into a circle about 12 inches in diameter.

Yield: 1 double crust 9-inch pie

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon sea salt
¾ cups Butter Flavored Crisco
5 tablespoons (or more) ice water
1 tablespoon whipping cream

1. Preheat oven to 400ºF.
2. Combine flour and salt in medium-size bowl. Cut in Crisco until all flour is blended to form pea-sized chunks. Sprinkle with ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time. Toss lightly with fork until dough will form a ball. Divide dough in half. Press between hands to form a couple of 5- to 6 inch “pancakes”.
3. Roll dough for bottom crust into circle between sheets of plastic wrap. Peel off top sheet. Trim pastry 1 inch larger than upside-down 9-inch pie plate. Fit into pie plate. Press to fit. Remove other sheet of plastic wrap. Freeze. Roll second “pancake” same as for crust. Freeze 15 minutes.
4. Cut out 26 to 28 leaf shapes and 3 larger maple-leaf shapes from rolled pastry. Arrange leaves in overlapping and slightly curved pattern on baking sheet. Brush with whipping cream. Moisten tips of small leaves with ice water. Press around edge of crust in overlapping fashion. Brush with cream.
5. Bake leaves at 400ºF 10 minutes, or until lightly browned.

1⅓ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
⅓ cup Crisco
3 tablespoons cold water

1. In a medium bowl stir together flour and salt. Using a pastry blender cut Crisco until pieces are pea-size.
2. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon cold water over part of the flour mixture, gently toss with a fork. Put moistened dough to the side of the bowl, repeat moistening flour mixture, using 1 tablespoon of water at a time, until all the flour mixture is moistened.
3. On a lightly floured surface, use your hands to slightly flatten dough. Roll form center to edges into a circle about 12 inches in diameter.

Yield: 1 9-inch pie shell

3¼ cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup cold butter
⅔ cup cold lard
4 to 5 tablespoons ice water

1. In a mixing bowl, combine the flour and salt.
2. Add the butter and lard and work it in your hands until it resembles coarse crumbs.
3. Add the water, a little at a time, using your hands until the dough comes together in the palm of your hand. Do not over work the dough.
4. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
5. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and place on a lightly floured surface. Roll out the dough to desired thickness.

Yield: 1 9-inch pie shell