Oh Pie, Why Must You Taunt Me So?

Oh Pie, Why Must You Taunt Me So?

Pie really isn’t my thing. Eating pie? I’m great at that. But making pie? Not so much. The fillings are no problem, easy as (wait for it) pie. I’m talking crust here, folks. Pie crust is beyond my skill set, apparently. I think it’s the rolling: I can never seem to make it come out even; there are always patchy bits that tear on the way to the pan. And even if I do manage to get it assembled and into the oven, the end result is usually tough, not tender. Chewy, not flaky. Altogether not worth the effort. I had a boyfriend once who was really into pie. Seemed like the perfect opportunity to finally master a basic recipe that’s been deviling me for years. After my third attempt, complete with behind-the-scenes tears (both in the crust and in my eyes), after which he gently put down his fork and smiled at me the way I now smile at Harry when he draws a blob, I consigned my rolling pin to the back cabinet. We broke up soon after. I blame the pie.

So lord knows what possessed me to think I could bake a pie now. But I was browsing through last year’s Thanksgiving issue of Cooking Light and the picture was just so pretty, and the crust wasn’t a traditional pie crust (it’s made with oats! whole grain!), and it was pecan pie, something I find irresistible in general… You know where this is going, right? I’ll cut to the chase:
 
That, my friends, is a piece of pie right out of the pan. The pecan part was mighty tasty, mighty tasty indeed. But the crust? FAIL. Rock-hard on the outside, soggy in the center, and gritty to boot. Of course, had I bothered to check the reviews before I started, I would’ve skipped the whole darn thing.
My quest for a pie recipe I can actually make continues. Do you have one you consider foolproof? Please share! Cuz when it comes to pie crust, I am definitely a fool.