Perfect Pie Crust
Recipe by Shawnie Kelley
Pie crust is more straightforward than people assume once you know how the ingredients work together. This recipe can be used to make both sweet and savory pies and tarts. You can make the dough ahead of time, wrap in plastic and refrigerate up to 5 days or freeze for 2 months. You can also save time by making the dough in the food processor, but these steps can be done by hand in a bowl with a pastry cutter.
PRO-TIP: Use a kitchen scale to weigh ingredients for consistency.
- Yield
- one 9-inch crust
Directions
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In a food processor, pulse together flour, sugar and salt. Or use a fork or pastry blender to mix.
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Add butter and pulse until mixture is a crumbly texture with pebbles of butter throughout the flour.
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Add 2 tablespoons of ice water to dough, pulse a few times, then continue adding liquid a tablespoon at a time until dough comes together into a ball (you might not use all the water).
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Dough should be moist, but not wet, and hold together when pinched.
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If there are visible pieces of butter in the dough, all the better.
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Turn the dough out onto the table and quickly, gently knead 4 or 5 times until it forms a dough ball.
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Flatten the dough evenly into a disk about 6 inches wide, cover in plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes before rolling.
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On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough disk to a 12-inch circle.
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Transfer dough to a 9-inch pie plate. Fold over any excess dough, then crimp edges.
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Prick crust bottom all over with a fork, then chill for 20 minutes or up to 24 hours.
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While dough chills, heat oven to 400 degrees and make apple pie filling (recipe below).
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Line chilled crust with foil or parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans.
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Bake for 15 minutes; remove parchment and weights and bake until pale golden, 5 minutes more.
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Cool on a rack until filled.
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You can bake the crust up to 24 hours in advance.
From Shawnie's class “Summer Cherry Pie Workshop” (also taught in Autumn Apple Pie Class, Quiche Lorraine)
