Thanksgiving baking? Piece of pie.

Learn how pies are made in Lexi’s Kitchen – handmade crust, local fruit, lattice top… it’s pretty delicious stuff.

Pie Crust

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
6.5 ounces butter
2.5 ounces ice water

1. Combine flour, sugar, and salt in bowl.
2. Cut cold butter into small pieces. Crumble butter into flour.
3. Use a fork or two butter knives to work the butter into the flour,
   leaving the butter in small, pea sized bits.
4. Add the water and gently work the dough just until mixed. Avoid overworking the dough or you will melt all the shortening into the dough leaving it tough and less flaky.
5. Wrap and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.
   Pie crust can be made the day before baking.

Vegan Pie Crust

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
5 ounces palm shortening
4 ounces ice water

1. Combine flour, sugar, and salt in bowl.
2. Cut cold butter into small pieces. Crumble butter into flour.
3. Use a fork or two butter knives to work the shortening into the flour until a coarse meal forms, leaving small pieces of shortening visable.
4. Add the water and gently work the dough just until mixed. Avoid overworking the dough or you will melt all the shortening into the dough leaving it tough and less flaky.
5. Wrap and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.
   Pie crust can be made the day before baking.

Egg wash

An egg wash helps to form a sheen on the exterior pie crust – recipes often call to brush it
(with a pastry brush) onto the edges or top of finished pie crusts. It’s always optional, but makes a nice finishing touch.
1 egg
2 tablespoons water
Whisk egg and water together until combined.

Apple Pie

Yield: one 9 inch pie
Pie dough recipe
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
8 cups (8 medium) apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
2 tablespoons butter
9 inch pie plate
Egg wash or milk for brushing crust

1. Preheat oven to 325F. Roll 1/2 of pie crust into a 10 inch circle. Lay pastry onto pie plate, and press into shell.
   Trim excess and add to remaining dough.
2. Mix apples with sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and vanilla in a small bowl. Pile evenly into pastry shell.
   Dot the apples with small pieces of cold butter.
3. Roll rest of dough into 10-11 inch circle. Gently lay crust over top of apples. Excess dough on the edges of the top
   and bottom crust will be touching. Fold the edges towards the middle of the pie and pinch to create a sealed edge.
   Cut decorative slits to let out steam. Brush with milk or egg wash and sugar.
4. Bake 55-60 minutes, until deep golden brown, and apple juice just begins to bubble through.

Cherry Pie

Yield: one 9 inch pie
Pie dough recipe
2 cups frozen dark cherries
2 cups frozen sweet cherries
(or substitute 4 cups any frozen/fresh pitted cherries)
1.5 cups Sugar
6 tablespoons corn starch
1/4 cup tart cherry juice (optional)
1 tablespoon vanilla
Egg wash or milk for brushing edge

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Place cherries, vanilla, and cherry juice in thick bottomed pot and place over heat.
   After the cherries lose considerable juice (5-10 min), remove from heat.
2. In a small bowl, stir the sugar and cornstarch together. Pour into hot cherries, mix well. Return the mixture to the stove
   and cook over low heat until thickened, stirring frequently. Remove from the heat and let cool. If filling is too thick,
   add a little water. If it is too thin, add cornstarch in 1 teaspoon increments until it reaches desired consistency.
3. Roll half of your pie dough into a 10″ round. Lay into a 9″ pie plate and pour filling into shell. Set aside.
4. Roll remainder of dough into a 7- 8 inch square and cut into 7 strips, about 1″ thick.
5. Use strips to make a lattice top on the pie with an over-and-under pattern, and crimp the edges.
6. Brush with egg wash (optional) and sprinkle with sugar. Bake until crust is deep golden brown and
   filling just starts to bubble, about 45-55 minutes

Pumpkin Pie

Yield: one 9 inch pie
Pie dough recipe (1 single crust – half of the recipe on reverse)
1 can (approx 1 3/4 cups) pumpkin puree
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
Pinch of salt
3 eggs
3/4 cup of Half & Half
Egg wash for brushing edge (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Mix pumpkin sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt. Gently whisk eggs and add to
   pumpkin mixture. Mix until just incorporated. Add half & half and mix until smooth.
2. Roll a single of pie dough into 11 inch circle. Form and press into pie tin. Roll edges under and crimp with fingertips.
   Brush edges with egg wash (optional).
3. Pour filling into pie shell and bake 45-55 min, until edges are deep golden brown, and center begins to look just barely dry.

Turkey Tips

Evenly roast a 12-14lb turkey in just 2 hours! The best way to prepare a Thanksgiving turkey is to break it down into pieces so that it roasts evenly and stays juicy.

You will need:
Sharp chef’s knife or boning knife
cutting board
roasting pan
aluminum foil

Break down

1. Remove breasts & wings: place turkey, breast side up, on a cutting board and pat dry. With the bottom opening of the turkey facing you, identify the thin chest bone between the breasts and place your sharp chef’s knife to one side of it. Make small cuts, closely following the bone’s slanted shape to remove the breast & wing. Repeat on the other side, then pull the wing outward from each breast and cut though the joint to separate.
2. Remove legs & thighs: place your knife where the leg was attached to the breast and cut down until you hit the thigh bone. Bend the leg back to expose where the thigh connects to the body. Keep your knife close to the body and cut through that joint. Repeat on the other side, then find the joint where the leg and thigh are connected and cut to separate. You did it! You should have 8 pieces of turkey, ready for roasting.

Roast

1. Preheat to 350° and place turkey pieces, skin side up, in a roasting pan. Cover the bottom of the pan with about an inch of stock or water. Season with salt and pepper and cover with aluminum foil.
2. Roast the turkey for 1.5 hours, then remove the foil and roast for another 30 minutes, or until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of breast reads 150°, and 170° when inserted into the thickest part of the thighs (total cooking time will be about 2 hours).
3. Transfer turkey to a cutting board; tent loosely with foil. Let rest 30–60 minutes before carving to keep juices intact – enjoy!

More tips

Plan on 1.5 lbs of turkey per guest to leave everyone full, plus leftovers.
Use the roasting liquid from the bottom of your pan as the base for gravy!

Turkey Gravy

2/3 cup butter
2/3 cup flour
1 1/2 quarts turkey stock
drippings from roasting pan
1/4 tsp poultry seasoning

1. Melt butter in a heavy-bottom pan, then add the flour.
2. Cook on medium heat, whisking often, for about 10 minutes, or until a golden color is acheived. Continuously whisking, slowly add the turkey stock and drippings from roasting pan.
3. Season with poultry seasoning, salt and black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Strain to remove any lumps that may have formed.