Pie Crust 101 Recipes

Steps:

• In a food processor, briefly pulse flour, salt, and sugar. Add butter; pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, with a few pea-size pieces of butter remaining. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons ice water. Pulse until dough is crumbly but holds together when squeezed (if necessary, add up to 2 tablespoons water, 1 tablespoon at a time). Dont overmix.
• Turn dough out onto a large piece of plastic wrap. Fold plastic over dough; press to shape into a 1-inch-thick disk. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour (or up to 3 days).
• On a floured piece of parchment paper, roll dough to a 14-inch round with a floured rolling pin. Wrap dough around rolling pin, discarding paper; unroll over a 9-inch pie plate (opposite). Gently fit into bottom and up sides of plate (do not stretch dough).
• Using kitchen shears, trim dough to a 1-inch overhang. Fold under itself to form a rim, and press to seal. Using thumb and forefinger, crimp rim of crust. Refrigerate until ready to use, up to 1 day.

Steps:

• DOUGH: In a large bowl (you can use a food processor, but by hand with a pastry blender works best for flakiness) mix flours, sugar, and salt. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours. Remove from fridge and add very cold butter and shortening. Mix the lemon juice, egg, and water in a small bowl and slowly add to dry ingredients, mixing by hand, until the dough begins to form a ball. Divide ball in half, flatten to make 2 disks and wrap each in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes. You can freeze up to 2 months by placing the wrapped discs in a freezer bag. Just be sure and thaw in the refrigerator before using.
• PREP 1 (ROLLING PIN): Take one disk and roll it out larger than your pan onto a lightly floured work surface. Transfer the dough to a pie pan by carefully rolling the pastry around a rolling pin, then gently unrolling it over the pan. If it breaks apart, don't worry. Simply patch any cracks or tears with some dough and press down to seal. It will not show for the bottom crust.
• PREP 2 (PARCHMENT): Lightly flour a disk and place between 2 sheets of parchment paper. Roll out the dough from the center to the edges, to make a circular shape larger than your pan. Remove the top sheet of parchment paper and place the pie pan in the center of the dough. Slide your hand under the parchment holding the dough centering your hand to the middle of the pan and flip over. Press the dough into the pan and carefully peel away the parchment.
• BOTTOM ONLY PIE: If pre-baking a bottom crust, brush it with the eggwash and using the tines of a fork, prick the bottom and sides in a few places so that the crust will not bubble up. If not pre-baking, Do Not prick the crust! Just brush the edges with the eggwash and fill with the filling of your choice.
• TOP CRUST PIE: If making a top crust, brush the edges of the bottom crust with the eggwash. If you have a pie bird, place in the center and then add the filling. Use the same method for rolling out the top crust using either prep 1 or prep 2 method (for prep 2 method, slowly flip the dough with parchment over the filling, then gently pull away the parchment paper). Using the backside tines of a fork, gently press the edges together to seal (or you can pinch the edges for a scalloped look).
• Trim excess dough from around the edge and gather up the scraps. Roll it out and cut fruit, leaf, or other designs for the top of the pie. You can use cookie cutters or try out your freehand talent. NOTE: if you have a pie bird, then once you roll out your top dough, place a small 'x' in the center so it will fall over the bird. If your 'x' is too large, simply use the scraps of dough to make a 'skirt' over the bird (see photo).
• If you do not have a pie bird, use a sharp knife tip or kitchen sheers, carefully cut or snip a 1/2" hole in the center of the crust to allow steam to escape. Using the tines of a fork, poke holes around the center hole to resemble a sun and sun ray pattern (you can do it so it will show where to cut the slices). Arrange the dough cut-outs on top (but not over the vent holes). Gently brush the pie crust and decorations with the eggwash.

Steps:

• Sift the flour and salt together into a large bowl.
• Using only your fingertips, pinch the cubes of butter into the flour, breaking up the butter as you go, until no large lumps remain. Shake the bowl to force the large chunks of butter to the surface. If you have warm hands or this is taking too long, you can chill the bowl into the refrigerator for 20 minutes to cool back down--you don't want this to be greasy at all!
• Mix the egg yolks and ice water together in a small bowl with a fork until evenly combined.
• Add the liquid to the flour mixture, reserving ¼ or so in case you don't need all of it--you don't want the pastry to be too wet. Quickly mix everything together with a dinner fork until the dough just starts to come together. Add more liquid to the driest parts of the dough if needed. The dough is ready when it holds together in a ball when squeezed in your palm.
• Transfer the dough to a clean work surface and bring the dough together. You don't want to overwork the dough, but you need to work it enough that it is a cohesive disc with no real cracks or very dry bits.
• Wrap the dough disc in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes. The dough can sit in the fridge for up to 4 days, otherwise double wrap in plastic or in a zip top bag and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
• Lightly flour your work surface and unwrap a disc of chilled dough. Flour the top of the dough. Using a rolling pin, push down on the dough, giving it a quarter turn every few smushes, to spread the dough evenly and ensure it doesn't stick to the surface.
• Start to roll out the dough, continuing to turn. If any cracks form, smush them back together. Roll out the dough to a circle about ⅛-inch (3 mm) thick.
• Enjoy!

Steps:

• In a food processor, pulse together the flour and salt. Add butter and pulse until the mixture forms lima bean-size pieces. Slowly add ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and pulse until the dough just comes together. It should be moist, but not wet.
• Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gather into a ball. Flatten into a disk with the heel of your hand. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 2 days.