I love homemade pie. I have never bought a pie or a pie crust. I enjoy making them so much. I learned all my pie making tricks from my mom, and the cooking class I took in college.

A pretty berry lattice-top pie is my favorite to make. I love using a dark filling for a lattice pie, because the dark colors offset the light crust and looks so pretty peeking through. Here is my favorite pie crust recipe.

Basic Pie Crust

3 cups flour

3/4 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups shortening

ice water

Combine flour and salt. Cut in shortening. Gradually add small amounts of ice water to form a soft dough. Do not overmix. Divide into two discs, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 10 minutes. Remove, then shape as desired. Bake according to filling instructions. 

*Makes two single crust pies, or one double crust pie.

Can you see the marbling from the shortening? That is good, and is the result of not overmixing.

My mom taught me a great trick to get the flour to stick evenly to your counter top. Use a wet paper town to wet down the surface, and then spread the flour over with your hands. It works so well!

I like to fold my dough into fourths to accurately place into my pie dish. Glass bottom and ceramic pie plates are my favorite and tend to bake the most evenly.

Always poke the bottom of your pie crust with a fork if you’re making a single crust pie. Also, use extra dough remnants to tuck under to form a good edge.

My mom taught my how to use my fingers to flute the edges of the pie crust.

Berry Filling Recipe

3 1/2 cups fresh or frozen berries (any berry you like)!

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup + 1 TB cornstarch

1 1/3 cups water or juice from the berries

1/4 tsp almond extract

1 TB + 1 tsp lemon juice

Wash and cut fresh berries, or thaw frozen berries. Combine sugar, cornstarch, and water/berry juice, and almond extract in pot. Stir and cook over medium heat until it thickens and bubbles. Add lemon juice and boil one minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and fold in berries. Cool slightly before adding to pie crust. Add a top crust. Bake at 375 for 45 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown.

I have a wavy pasta cutter that I use to cut strips for my lattice top pie. But you could also use a straight edge.

Now follow the steps in the following pictures to create a real lattice top pie. Try hard not to get berry filling on the crust.

Gently lay the two longest strips across the pie, crisscrossing each other.

Fold back the underneath strip, and add a strip to one side.

Repeat on other side.

Unfold that strip.

Now take the two new strips and fold back onto themselves. Add a new strip underneath.

Repeat on other side.

Unfold everything and admire so far. 🙂

Now take the very most underneath strip and fold them back. Add another strip. 

Repeat on other side.

Follow the same pattern, this time you’ll fold back 3 strips.

Once you’ve reached the end of your pie strips, you can trim off the ends and incorporate them into your fluted pie crust. 

It might actually be easier to the do the pinching and fluting after the lattice pie crust is complete. (I should have done it that way)!

The last thing I like to add is a sprinkle of raw sugar. I like these little packets.

And that’s it! The best part of making a pie is sharing it with those you love. Here’s a look at the past three Thanksgivings. Have I mentioned I love pie? 

2013 

(I made this yesterday and tried Ann Romney’s Southern Pecan Pie recipe. It is divine!!!)

2012

2011