There's this pie crust that my mom makes. I've never had it anywhere else, and I really love it. It's not flaky, not buttery. It's not sweet or oversugared. It is a simple, understated pie crust that tastes a little bit nutty and molds like play dough.

This recipe makes two crusts.

Step 1: Ingredients

2 cups white flour
1/4 cup wheat flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup ice water
3/4 cup shortening
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 egg

And a friend who wants to be in your picture in order to get famous on the internet.

Step 2: Combine Dry Ingredients. Cut in Shortening.

Mix your white flour, wheat flour, sugar, and salt.

Measure out your shortening. You can do this by displacement- fill a 2-cup liquid measure with water up to 1 1/4 cups, then spoon in shortening until the water level is up to 2 cups.

Cut it into the dry ingredients with a pastry cutter or two knives until the little chunks of shortening are no bigger than peas.

Step 3: Mix Wet Ingredients

Use a fork to combine the water, egg, and almond extract in a separate bowl.

Pour over shortening mixture and mix with your hands.

Separate it into two balls.

Step 4: Roll Out Crust

Roll out your crust with a rolling pin.

I don't have a rolling pin, so mine looks a bit awkward (I used a water glass). But roll it out evenly until it is the right size for your pie pan.

Step 5: Press Crust Into Pan

Carefully lift your pie crust into your pan. Press it until it fits the pan. Cut off edges where they are too big.

Step 6: That's It!

That's the basics.

I made peach pie with mine- and a lattice top. To make a lattice top, roll out the second crust, then cut it into long strips. Weave it on top of your pie.

You can also make apple pie or shepherd's pie with a flat top crust, a quiche and a fresh berry pie (no top crust), or any of your regular pie crust dishes!

You can also make pie crust cookies with your leftover scraps: spread them on a baking pan, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, and put them in the oven for a few minutes. A good snack, as I recall, for kids too impatient to wait for pie to cook and cool!