Crusts

One of my baking pet peeves is when a recipe calls for a pre-made pie crust. Homemade pie crust is simple, takes less time to make than most pie fillings, and is infinitely tastier than whatever you might buy in the store.    

There are 4 ingredients in my favorite pie crust recipe and one of those ingredients is water.

8- to 9-inch Two-Crust Pie (top and bottom crust)

2 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt 
2/3 cup plus 2 tablespoon room temperature butter 
4 to 5 tablespoons cold water

Ideally you should put your butter out several hours in advance to soften. Microwaving your butter is a serious faux pas, a baking no-no. Microwaved butter softens unevenly and if you are not careful you might melt it. An acceptable way to soften butter if it is not already at room temperature is to roll it out with rolling pin.  I normally put my refrigerated butter in the microwave for 10 seconds and then mash it with a spoon.

Add your flour and a pinch of salt. (I never measure out the full teaspoon). A couple tablespoons of water will prevent the dough from sticking to the sides of the bowl too much.

 Next, cut the dry ingredients into the shortening. "Cut" basically means mix the butter into the flour so it forms a meal like consistency. You can use a fork, but for best results cast aside the utensils and use your fingers.

 Once the flour-butter mixture looks like the photo above, squish the dough into two balls. Make sure to knead and smash the dough until it is very smooth and evenly combined.

Roll out the dough between two pieces of wax paper or parchment paper to prevent it from sticking to the rolling pin. (A wine bottle also makes an excellent non-stick rolling pin).

Roll crust till it is even in thickness and about 2 inches larger than the pie pan in diameter.

 Peel off the top layer of wax paper and supporting the crust underneath the wax paper, carefully flip the crust into the pie pan. 

If your crust breaks or splits, do not despair! you can gently mend the crust with your fingers. 

Finally, take a knife and trim excess crust hanging over the edge.  Your crust is now ready for its filling. 

Bake at 475 degrees Fahrenheit in a preheated oven, unless filling recipe states otherwise. 

-Spot