20 Pie Crusts for the Freezer
I found this recipe on the 30-Day Gourmet recipe boards one day and altered it a bit. The bread flour alteration actually happened because I had run out of all-purpose flour and felt a bit adventurous. It turned out I liked it even better with the addition of the bread flour. It gave the crusts a bit of a rise. Not much. Just a tad. 
I use my Bosch and find it helps tremendously with big jobs like this.


20 Pie Crusts For the Freezer

3 lb can Crisco vegetable shortening (I use Butter-Flavored Crisco)
5 lb all-purpose flour (I sub. 1-2# of the a/p flour with white bread flour)
3 cups ice water
2 Tbsp. salt

Mix in a very large bowl or pan (I use my Bosch with the dough hook).
Blend flour, salt, and Crisco together (by hand if necessary).
Add ice water and mix all together just until blended.
Form into patties weighing approx. 7.6 oz. each (if you have a scale and want to get 20 out of the recipe). 
Makes about 18 to 20.

Flash freeze on wax-papered cookie sheets, then pop into Ziploc bags.
When you want to make a pie crust, defrost desired number of crust "patties" on the counter 30 minutes or so ahead of time, or in the fridge overnight.
Roll between 2 sheets of waxed paper or put a thin sock with the toe cut out over your rolling pin and roll out on a thin towel with a little flour to prevent sticking.
These will keep for about 1 year in the freezer.

 





Walking you through it...

My Bosch bowl just holds all the dough. 
First, I add the Butter-flavored Crisco first and use the dough hook. 

Then while blending the Crisco, I add the salt. 

I then begin adding a little flour at a time while still blending the Crisco, being careful not to add too much flour or POOF! it's in my face. 

Then I alternate between adding flour and ice water till it's all in. 

Then I blend a minute or so longer and it's done!

Then I dump the dough out on the counter and get my scale, grab handfuls of dough and weigh them out till I have approx. 7.6 oz. per blob of dough. 

I put each blob aside until I have all the dough weighed. 

Then I flatten them on greased cookie sheets, as you can see, and freeze them overnight (flash freeze). 

Then I put them in a couple of Ziploc freezer bags. And they are there when I need them.




 


Here is the breakdown on making this pie crust recipe:

  $2.98 3-lb. Butter-flavored Crisco
+$1.00 5-lb. Flour (guesstimate - I think I paid less at Sam's Club)
+$  .05 2 T Salt (guessing)
  $4.03 for 20 pie crusts

$4.03 /20 = $ .2015 per crust or 20 cents per crust.
I priced pie crusts in the refrigerated section. 

At my local Walmart, Pillsbury crusts (2 per pkg.) cost $2.17, 
so that's $1.08 per crust. WalMart's store brand (pkg. of 2) costs $1.73, 
so that's $.87 per crust.

Homemade (20 made all in one day and frozen) $4.03
WalMart brand (20 over time) $17.40
Pillsbury (20 bought over time) $21.60
Worth the effort to make them yourself, I'd say!