I have always been fascinated with pioneer cooking. I think it’s the simple ingredients that make cozy homemade food to nourish the body and soul. They toiled for several hours over an open hearth or cook stove just to feed their family. It’s that hard work and tenacity that calls out to me. I especially am fascinated by their recipes. A pound of flour, some butter, water, and maybe some salt all gets mixed up and turned into pie crust to be filled with dried fruit, or fresh fruit if they had access to it. And all this to make a dessert everyone loves.
Since it’s Pioneer Days, I thought I would try a simple pie crust, often called paste or pie paste, from 1873.
This crust is flaky and delicious! It’s best baked cold. The extra crust we had from cutting the edges off, my daughter sliced and brushed with egg wash and sprinkled with cinnamon sugar and baked it. So good!! The crust is light, flaky and flavorful.
Here’s the original recipe:
Sounds easy enough – but can I get it to work?
Let’s get to it!
I measured out 1 pound of flour plus 1 cup – I am using both white flour and whole wheat flour. I sprinkled in 1/2 tsp salt.
I added 1/2 pound of butter which is one cup or 2 sticks.
Cut the butter in until crumbly.
Pour in cold ice water until a dough forms. I didn’t measure the water — but just poured and mixed and poured and mixed until a shaggy dough formed.
Turn onto floured counter. Flatten and fold dough over several times to create layers.
I cut the dough in half to roll out. It takes a bit of work to roll!! You definitely need some elbow grease! It rolls better if you refrigerate the dough for 20 minutes.
I placed the pie plate under the crust, cut around it leaving some extra crust to roll/twist at the edge.
The extra dough I’ll use for another pie.
Here’s my crust! This particular pie I am making a pumpkin pie with pumpkin pie filling I made and froze this past winter from our homegrown pumpkins.
I baked the pumpkin pie at 375F for about 45 minutes. Here’s how I make pumpkin pie. It’s so good! The crust was a bit chewier at the edge, but still really good.
The remaining crust I used to make apple pie with crabapples from my folks’ crabapple tree. Here’s how I made Crabapple Pie.
This recipe makes enough dough for two double crust pies. I made one double crust pie and two singles and the leftovers were baked up.
If I’m making a double layer pie crust, I cut it a lot wider then after I press the crust with a fork to seal, I then cut the excess crust off.
This crust recipe from the 1800s is great and definitely one I’ll make again. It’s simple to make and tastes great.
