I want to make a pie with very flakey crust?

Question

Can I use fillo dough instead of pastry dough?
Most likely apple pie, or a fruit pir.
Will it work? Any special instructions?

Come on guys I want this to be easy. Can I use Fillo?

Answer 1

For phyllo dough:
1. thaw in fridge, have plastic wrap, damp towel & melted butter w/ brush
2. work w/ 1 sheet at a time cover the rest w/ plastic & towel
3. brush w/ melted butter, layer several just like that
4. pre cook the filling...can top w/ more sheets of filo
5. brush crust every 10 minutes while baking

OR use puff pastry:
1. thaw in fridge
2. bake shells 5 minute or until puffed and lightly browned
3. remove centers and fill w/ filling ( same filling rules apply)
4. bake until done

Use the puff pastry shells for easy, no fuss
could use puff pastry sheets and line pie pan

Answer 2

The key to a flakey crust is to blend the fat and flour together well, but not overmix it. The butter should be cut into the flour until you get small pieces about the size of peas.

Use ice-cold water at the end to keep the butter from softening. When it is all mixed into a ball, chill it for about 1/2 hour to let the entire dough remain cool or cold just before rolling.

When you roll it, do so with a light pressure. Too much and you can overpress the dough and reduce the amount it will flake.

Below is a Sunset recipe that is pretty bullet-proof. I used to use a Betty Crocker oil recipe - very easy, but I cannot find it anywhere. I think it used about 1/3 cup of oil in place of the butter, but everything else was the same. It produced excellent pie crusts for beginners.

Answer 3

NEVER FAIL FLAKY PIE CRUST

No matter how much you handle this dough it always will be flaky and tender. The dough may be refrigerated for 3 days or it may be frozen until ready to use.
This recipe will make 4 to 5 single crusts.


4 cups flour
1 tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. salt
1 3/4 cup Crisco shortening (no substitutions)
1 lg. egg
1 tbsp. white or cider vinegar
1/2 c. water


Combine the flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl and mix well using a large fork. Blend in Crisco until crumbly and peanut-sized chunks remain.
In a small bowl, beat together egg, vinegar and water. Combine the 2 mixtures, stirring with fork until all ingredients are moistened.

Divide the dough into 5 portions. Wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Pie crust may be rolled out between 2 pieces of plastic wrap or wax paper, or use two thin plastic cutting mats. This makes the job easier by eliminating the need for extra flour, which often makes a mess. Or you may lightly flour the board and rolling pin (a silicone rolling pin helps).

When pie crust is rolled to the desired size, transfer the crust to the pie pan without stretching it, lining the pan loosely to help prevent shrinking.

BAKED SHELL: Prick bottom and sides of pastry thoroughly. To keep shell flat, place parchment paper or foil over crust. Press gently into crust. Place on a rack in the center of a preheated 400°F oven. Bake until lightly browned on edges (about 5 to 8 minutes - watch closely).

HINT: Shiny metal pans reflect the heat away from the crust. For better browning of the crust use a dark tin pan. Makes enough for 2 large pies double crust pies and 1 shell (2 tops/3 bottom crusts).

Answer 4

You can use phyllo dough to make a flaky crust but a wet fruit filling will ruin the bottom crust.

Lightly butter a 9-inch glass pie dish. Lay 1 phyllo sheet over the bottom and up the sides of the dish, allowing the phyllo to hang over the sides. Brush the phyllo with the melted butter. Top with a second sheet of phyllo dough, laying it in the opposite direction as the first phyllo sheet. Continue layering the remaining sheets of phyllo sheets, alternating after each layer and buttering each sheet. Spoon the fruit mixture into the dish. Fold the overhanging phyllo dough over the top of the filling to enclose it completely. Brush completely with melted butter.

Try lightly pre-baking the apple pie filling (apples, cinnamon, sugar, flour, lemon zest) on a large sheet pan this will dry out the filling some. 375 degrees F for 10 minutes.
Brush the phyllo dough with egg whites at the bottom of the pie dish. Then add the partially cooked apple mixture to the phyllo and cover with the overlapping of the phyllo.

Answer 5

I have always used the Crisco pie crust recipe on the can, with this one change: I use 1/2 crisco and 1/2 butter. As long as you keep everything cold, use ice water, and don't overwork the crust, it's a consistently flaky crust, with what, to me, has a better flavor than all crisco - not nearly as flat. I'm wary of the recipes that use vinegar because I have a sensitive palate, and hate the taste of vinegar. Always fearful I'll be able to taste it.

Answer 6

If you are going to make pastry dough, use lard and not shortening. I haven't made pie crust for so long that I can't remember anything else. Good luck.

Answer 7

go to: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/best-ever-pie-crust/detail.aspx and follow the instructions exactly. Works like a charm. I have tried shortcuts many times but at the end of the day you really have to do the work and the work REALLY is not that hard if you can read a recipe.

Answer 8

pastry dough works great I think.

Prebake the bottom dough just a little bit though so that it doesn't turn soggy.

Answer 9

Use the recipe on the Libby's pumpkin pie can, and use real butter!

Answer 10

flour sugar and water works good for flakey crust.Or just by already made crust.