Don’t let pie dough intimidate you!
Yes, you’re free to make your own homemade pie crust!
There are many different ways to make a pie crust.
Sally Vargas
Every baker I know seems to have their favorite recipe or trick.
The most classic pie or pastry crust is made with butter.
A more forgiving pie crust is one that is made with a mixture of butter and shortening.
Sally Vargas
That way you get the flavor of the butter, with the easy flakiness that comes from using shortening.
Some people use all vegetable oil, and some swear by lard.
If you are making a tart or just a pie bottom, cut all ingredients in half.
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If you are using salted butter instead, omit the added salt.
As a variation, swap out 1/2 cup of the flour with ground blanched almonds or almond flour.
Add about half of the butter to the food processor and pulse several times.
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You may not need all the water.
Carefully empty the crumbly dough mixture from the food processor on to a clean, dry, flat surface.
Gather the mixture in a mound.
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Divide the dough mixture into two even-sized mounds.
Use your hands and knead each mound just enough to form each one into a disc.
Kneading develops gluten which will toughen the dough, not something you want in a pastry crust.
Sally Vargas
You should just knead enough so that the dough holds together without cracks.
If you started with cold butter you should be able to see small chunks of butter speckling the dough.
This is a good thing.
Sally Vargas
Remove one crust disc from the refrigerator.
As you roll out the dough, test whether the dough is sticking to the surface below.
If necessary, add a few sprinkles of flour under the dough to keep the dough from sticking.
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Carefully place onto a 9-inch pie plate.
Gently press the pie dough down so that it lines the bottom and sides of the pie plate.
Roll out second disc of dough, as before.
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Gently place onto the top of the filling in the pie.
Trim excess dough with kitchen shears, leaving a 3/4 inch overhang.
Flute edges using thumb and forefinger or press with a fork.
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This is an important step in pre-baking.
Otherwise the crust will slip down the sides.
Preheat your oven to 350F.
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When the pie crust is sufficiently chilled, line the pie crust with aluminum foil.
Fill the crust to the top with pie weights - dry beans, rice, or sugar.
(Sugar works best.)
Sally Vargas
See more detailed instructions and photos forhow to blind bake a crust here.
Combine flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor; pulse to mix.
Add the butter and pulse 4 times.
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Add shortening in tablespoon sized chunks, and pulse 4 more times.
The mixture should resemble coarse cornmeal, with butter bits no bigger than peas.
Sprinkle 6 tablespoons of ice water over flour mixture.
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Pulse a couple times.
If you pinch some of the crumbly dough and it holds together, it’s ready.
Remove dough from machine and place in a mound on a clean surface.
Divide the dough into 2 balls and flatten each into 4 inch wide disks.
Do not over-knead the dough!
(We use a silicon baking mat that has the pie circles already marked.)
Using a rolling pin, apply light pressure while rolling outwards from the center of the dough.
When the dough has reached the right size, gently fold it in half.
Do not stretch the dough.
Tuck the overhang underneath itself along the edge of the pie dish.
If you are making a double crust pie, roll out the second disc of dough.
Gently place onto the top of the filling in the pie.
Use a kitchen scissors to trim the overhang to an inch over.
A lovely coating for a pie can be achieved with a simple egg wash.
Beat egg yolk with cream and brush on the surface of the pie with a pastry brush.
