Favourite Things #3

This week it's a recipe.  It's on the Crisco Shortening package for Crisco No Fail Pie Crust.  

It's exactly what it claims a no fail pie crust.  Super simple and it makes a tender, flaky pie crust.  Since I have discovered this recipe I never buy pie crusts as it takes no time to make.  Even if you are a beginner in making pastry this one is super simple.

Crisco No Fail Pie Crust (the recipe linked is slightly different and is a vegan recipe)

This makes enough for one double crust pie, or two single 9" pie crusts.

2 cups All Purpose/Plain Flour

3/4 tsp Salt

1 cup Crisco All Vegetable Shortening

1 egg

2 TBSP cold water

1 TBSP White Vinegar

1. Combine flour and salt in mixing bowl.  Cut room temperature shortening into flour with pastry blender, (I use my hands to do this) until mixture is uniform and shortening resembles coarse crumbs.  You could also use a food processer to do this as well.

2. Beat egg, water and vinegar together to blend.  Pour all the liquid over flour mixture, stir with fork until mixture is moistened.

3. Divide dough in half and shape into a ball.  Flatten each into a circle about 4 inches.  Wrap and chill dough for 15 minutes for easier rolling.......it is important to do this as it is a moist dough.

4. Use in whatever recipe you want that needs pie dough.

I made a batch the other day and with two thirds of it I made a turkey pot pie.  I had a third left and decided to make a quiche.  A quiche is like a stew; as it's a great way of using up odds and ends.  I wanted a smaller quiche so used the glass lid of a casserole dish I have to make it in.  My rolling pin I think was my mam's.  I have had it donkey's years.

It was a very flaky pastry so had to patch it all as it was so crumbly....but also super tasty when cooked.

I cooked it "blind" for 15 minutes at 425 oF with the baking beans in it. I think I got the baking beans many moons ago at Lakeland Plastics when we lived in the UK. Took them out and cooked it for a further 5 minutes.  Then turned the oven down to 375 oF

I had some fat free cottage cheese leftover in the fridge.  So I pureed it with my hand held blender and added it to the three eggs.  I also added some half and half creamer to thin it out.

I forgot to take a photo before I cut into the quiche.  I had a little bit of ham left over that needed using up.  I cooked some bacon and a diced onion, and added the ham to the eggs, along with salt and pepper.  I sliced a tomato on top as well and cooked it for a further 45 minutes.

There was too much mixture for the pie case, so poured the rest into some silicone baking cups and will put these in hubby's lunch.

The good thing about using the cottage cheese is that I didn't have to add any more cheese like I normally do.  I liked the consistency of using the pureed cottage cheese, it gave the quiche a very creamy quality and as I said this was fat free cottage cheese.