This is the only pie crust you’ll ever need. It is easy to handle, freezes beautifully, crimps like a dream. The edges and top crusts lift up flaky and appealing and the bottom crust browns into a sturdy, buttery base. It’s a crust as easily made by hand as by machine. Learning to make one great crust is an indispensable life skill. Memorize the ingredient list and you’ll be ready if you stumble across a berry patch or have a bit of leftover stew, this crust shape shifts from sweet to savory easily, the buttery flavor forward, the flake and crisp finish extra special.
Makes two crusts with plenty for decorating and crimping
2-1/2 cups + 2 tablespoons (325 g.) all-purpose flour
16 tablespoons (225 g.) unsalted butter, cubed and frozen for 20 minutes
Pinch of kosher salt
1/2 cup (120 ml.) ice water
Place the scale on the counter and the bowl of the food processor on the scale. Weigh the flour into the workbowl. Weigh and add in the cold butter and salt. Move the bowl to the food processor base, insert the metal blade, cover, and use the Pulse function to cut the flour, butter and salt into floury covered pea-sized pieces, about 15 quick pulses. Add the ice water all at once and turn the processor on until the dough almost comes together in a ball. All the flour will be dampened and the dough will be wet pearls and clumps.
Form an X with two long pieces of plastic wrap and lightly flour the surface. Dump the dough into the center of the plastic wrap and scrape the processor bowl clean. Spend time on this next step because the more compact and precise the dough, the easier it is to roll to the correct size and thickness to fit the pie pan. Wrap the sloppy gathering of dough in plastic and at the same time, use a bench scraper, not your warm hands that might melt the butter clumps to form the squared sides of a block about 6- by 4-inches. Once wrapped, use a rolling pin to gently press across the surface of the block, flip it over and do the same on the other side. Tap the edges on the work surface, firming them up. Now let it rest: Refrigerate the dough for at least 4 hours and preferably overnight.
When the recipe calls for only one crust.
1-1/3 cups (160 g.) all purpose flour
8 tablespoons (113 g.) unsalted butter, cubed and frozen for 20 minutes
Scant pinch of kosher salt
1/4 cup (60 ml.) ice water
Click over to my YouTube channel for some rolling, decorating, and baking tips.
