How To Make A Piecrust

Erika Cunha, owner of Living the Sweet Life bakery in LoHi, makes every piecrust from scratch (even during the holidays). She shows us how to master a perfect pastry.

1: Add 1 cup flour, ½ cup organic, nontransfat shortening (such as Spectrum), and ½ teaspoon of salt to a bowl. Break up the shortening into pea-size pieces using the side and back of a fork. Slowly, add 3 to 4 tablespoons of ice water and fold the dough over itself. Be careful not to overwork it.

2: Dust a work surface with flour and form the dough into a disc. Using a rolling pin, evenly roll out the dough by frequently rotating it a quarter-turn and flipping it to the other side.

3: Once the pastry is about 11 inches in diameter, fold it in half to lift into a 9-inch pie pan and unfold. Press the dough against the pan along the bottom edge. Using your fingers and thumbs, pinch the raw edges to make a fluted rim.

5280.com Exclusive: Watch Cunha make a piecrust from scratch.