Easy Hot Water Crust for Pies
Use this crust for any pie. It is a great firm holding crust that is chewy and goes perfectly well with pureed vegetable or with white cheesy polenta, as we did. When you make a pie the filling must be cool or cold for the best results. Unlike other pastry crusts you can make this a fraction thicker.
Ingredients
- 150 gm butter salted or unsalted 5.29 oz
- 200 ml water 7 fl oz
- 2 whole eggs (100gm- 3.5oz)
- 450 gm plain flour 3 cups / 15.85 gm
- 1/4 teaspoon salt salt is important for browning and flavour here
- 1 whole egg yolk
- 1/8 teaspoon salt for glazing beaten together with yolk
Instructions
- Set the oven to 180C / 350 F. use a 20- 23 cm / 8- 10 in pie dish
- Put the chopped butter and water into a small pot and put over a medium heat until the butter dissolves and the liquid reaches a rolling boil. Take off the heat.
- Cool a little. Mix the flour and salt together and pour the butter mixture and the flour mixture into a mixer bowl. (of a stand mixer)
- Mix the two eggs together in a cup breaking up with a fork. Pour the eggs over the flour butter mixture and turn onto low immediatly mixing togetherly. This can also be mixed by hand
- Mix until the dough forms a ball. Pour out onto a bench and push the dough into a disc. ( if using a wooden spoon stir till the liquid is all but mixed in and then knead lightly). Over kneading will give a tougher crust, so work it gently till it is nice and smooth. If your dough is very sticky and stays in clumps on your hands then sprinkle with more flour till it just comes together. ( some eggs are bigger and some flour is just not as absorbent).
- Cool the pastry a little and refrigerate till cold
- Once the pastry is cool. Divide into x 2 . One disc should be about 3/4 of the dough and 1/4 left for a lid. Use a little flour to roll it out the dough and push into a greased pie plate. The pastry is plyable.
- Fill the base with your cool filling, then brush the edges with egg and add the lid. Crimp around the top
- Paint the top with egg yolk mixed with salt and pierce a couple of holes on the top.
- Bake at 180 C degrees for approximately 35-40 minutes or until golden