I prefer mixing butter with shortening for the crust...good compromise for taste AND flakiness...and prebaking won't deform the crust at all if one uses some foil with pie weights/dry beans on top ...

I baked apple pies, pumpkin pies, sweet egg pies, pecan pies, sugar pies...I love baking pies. They're probably one of the best ways to say "This took me ages to make so I really really love...