How to Crimp and Flute a Pie Crust

Crimping and fluting the edge of a pie adds a homemade touch to just about any pie. This decorative edge is well worth the attractive outcome. All it takes is two hands and some attention to detail. Follow the guidelines below to add some pizzazz to your next pie crust.

Things You'll Need

• Butter knife
• Egg white
• Foil

Instructions

1. Trim excess dough all the way around the pie. Place your hand underneath the excess dough, and press a dull butter knife into your hand. Keep the scraps for use later, if parts of the crust need more dough.

2. Pull the dough up and pinch all the way around the pie to prepare for crimping, making a ridge. If there are parts that you can't pull up enough to make this ridge, use some of the dough you cut off in Step 1. To adhere this dough to the pie, use some egg white, an egg wash or water.

3. Push the ridge in with one finger from one hand and two fingers from the other hand. Push in with one finger and pinch with the two fingers to give a triangle pattern all around the pie. Rotate the pie as you go, continuing the pinching pattern so the ridge is crimped.

4. Trim off any dough that is hanging down as you crimp around the pie. If you make a mistake during the shaping, just press the dough to smooth it and then crimp with your fingers again. If you need more dough to correct a mistake, just add some scrap dough to the edge and use egg white, egg wash or water as the glue.

5. Protect the crimped edge before baking with foil. The edge will get too brown if you skip this step.