My grandma's pie crust

My dad's mom taught my mom how to make this pie crust, and my mom taught me.
All you need is:
2 C flour
1 C Crisco
1/4 t salt
some ice cold water


Mix together the salt and the flour. Then add in the crisco using either a fork to cut it in or a pastry blender.


'It should look lie peas' my mom said. I wasn't really sure what that meant, but this was it. Basically you cut in the crisco until it is in small pieces throughout the flour. Then you make a well in the middle of the dough by pushing the dough to the sides. Pour in 1/4 C of the ice cold water. Mix it all together. Continue adding the water by a 1/4 C until it becomes "doughy". I think we ended up using 3/4 cups of water.


This recipe makes about 3 pie crusts, or in this case 2 pie crusts, and 1 smaller pie crust with a crust on top. Divide the dough into three equal amounts.


Place flour down on a pastry sheet or clean counter. Take one of the thirds and put it on top of the flour. Place more flour on top. (Side note: I love this one of my mother's hands working. There is a part in the movie Beaches when Hillary is looking everywhere for a picture of her mother's hands because she can't remember what they look like. That part always made me really sad thinking about my mom being gone one day and missing things about her. I really treasure getting to do these things with my mom.)


Using a rolling pin roll out the dough with about three strokes. Then pick up the dough, place more flour down, flip the dough over, and lay on the flour. Roll out again until flat and thin. Then fold in half.


Place the dough half way in your pie pan.


Unfold and pat into the corners.


Cut off any pieces that are too long. Then taking your index finger and thumb pinch the edges together to make the crinkles around the top.


This one is cherry (obviously). Apparently fruit pies have to have vents to cook, which you can cut open the middle or just some cut outs. Pour a small amount of milk on top of the crust and spread around. Then sprinkle sugar on top. You will bake the pie at different temperatures based on the type of pie it is.
I hope this all makes sense. It was hard to try to get down into measurements and steps a recipe that is passed by word of mouth!