Pie Crust

For years, I did not make pie crust. I was scarred from many attempts with horrible results, and I finally stopped trying and bought grocery store pie crust. Blech! A couple years ago, I was ready to try again. I found this recipe, and it has rescued my pies from the horrors of grocery store pie crust. Don’t skip the refrigeration step. It allows the dry ingredients time to fully absorb the liquids, which renders a tender, flaky crust. I use the food processor method, but you have to be careful and use short, quick pulses, otherwise you can overheat the dough and cause the butter to melt.

I have found that the pie crust freezes well, just wrap it in a couple layers of plastic wrap and then put it into a zip freezer bag.

[Updated: September 12, 2008]

Equipment

food processor or large mixing bowl

Ingredients

2-1/2 cups (360 g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 cup (2 sticks, 226, g) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/4 to 1/2 cup (60 – 120 g) ice water

Preparation

1. Combine the flour, salt, and sugar in food processor. Add butter; process until mixture resembles coarse meal, about 8 to 10 seconds. (For hand method, place dry ingredients in large bowl. Add butter; blend with pastry cutter until mixture resembles coarse meal.)

2. Add ice water in a slow steady stream through feed tube of food processor with machine running, until the dough holds together for no longer than 30 seconds. (For hand method, mix dough with a wooden spoon, adding water until dough just holds together.)

3. Turn dough onto piece of plastic wrap. Press into a disk, and. wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 1 hour. May be frozen, double wrapped in plastic, for several months.

Notes

Yield: 1 (9-inch) double or 2 single crust pies.

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Source: adapted from Food Network