Basic Pie Crust
Friday, December 7, 2007
THE RECIPE
Basic pastry crust
serving size: 2 - 9 inch crusts for fruit/meat pie or 1 large quiche crust
prep time: 30 minutes (including rolling)
cooking time: 10-15 minutes
* Balls of dough can be refrigerated for up to a week, wrapped in damp paper towel and plastic wrap, or frozen for up to 3 months, wrapped the same with an additional layer of aluminum foil. Allow to reach room temperature before rolling.
2 cups unbleached flour, pre-sifted
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter
1 tablespoon solid bacon drippings (optional)
1/4 cup ice water, (possibly more may be needed)
1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, sift flour and salt. I like to keep all of my tools as cold as possible. This prevents the solid ingredients (butter and lard) from melting and is one step to ensure a flakey crust. Working as quickly as possible, with a pastry cutter or with two knives, cut the butter and bacon into the flour and salt mixture. At this point, I do not allow contact with my fingers and the dough. This can create a more glutinous, pasty dough and again, will inhibit flakiness.
Comments Widget
The Root: Don't listen to any of the bitching about making pie crust. Don't even listen to me bitch about making pie crust, because I will! But it really is so delicious and special when you make your own, and actually pretty quick and easy when you start getting the hang of it. Let's face it: a traditional pastry crust calls for an all-purpose flour, that in my friend Mia's words is actually "fairly gnarly". I agree. Although I haven't mastered alternative flour crusts yet, this recipe at least gives you some control over the other ingredients that go into your crust...including the l-o-v-e. It’s a great way to use those leftover bacon drippings too, giving your crust an incomparable smokiness!
2. You are striving for a consistency somewhere between a coarse cornmeal and pea-sized bits of dough. You WANT tiny whole pieces of butter or fat in your dough, this creates layer and light texture when you bake it.
3. At this point, make a “well” in the crumbly dough. In the well, add small amounts of the ice water at a time, swirling outward with finger, only to incorporate. (This is when it’s okay to make contact!) Alternate between this method and sprinkling ice water over the crumbly dough and lifting gently with a fork, until the dough clings together. I inevitably end up using a few more teaspoons of ice water but be careful, too much water will make the dough gluey and the crust soggy.
4. When you can gather the dough into a ball, do so. Divide into two balls if you are making a covered pie. It’s okay that the dough is in pieces. Compress gently until the dough holds its shape.
5. Roll out onto a flour covered board or table, gently but firmly applying pressure on the rolling pin from the center of the dough, out. Keep your pin covered with flour too, as to discourage any maverick bits of dough attaching to the pin.
6. When you have your crust rolled out to roughly 1/8th of an inch, remove from board. I find an easy way to do this is with dental floss. Keeping it flush with the pastry board or table, gently shimmy underneath the rolled dough and transfer to pie dish or pan.
7. When edges are crimped, bake for 10 to 15 minutes, monitoring that the dough does not slump. If it does, immediately remove from oven. I don’t bother with weighting down the crust with weights or beans. It’s a step I’ve learned to manage without. Your crust is now ready to be filled!