Instructions

1. Construct and bake your pie crust as you normally would, but use a glass or dark-metal pie plate instead of a shiny pie plate. Place the pie plate on the low rack in your oven so the bottom browns and hardens and the top gets less heat.

2. Remove the pie crust from the oven at the end of its cooking time, and turn off the oven. Allow the pie crust to cool completely.

3. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit when the pie crust is cool. Lightly beat the egg white in a bowl, and brush it on the bottom and inner sides of the pie crust with the basting brush. When the oven is preheated, place the pie crust back in the oven, and bake for 4 minutes. The egg white creates a glaze that will act as a barrier between the pie filling and the crust.

4. Allow the crust to cool. Combine the sugar and flour in a bowl. Lightly sprinkle this mixture in the pie crust before adding the pie filling. This mixture absorbs excess moisture without significantly altering the pie's flavor. As an alternative, use ground nuts or crumbled cookies in place of the sugar and flour mixture.