Two Crusted Pie Dough Recipes

Steps:

• Place flour and salt in a food processor. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal with some blueberry-size clumps.
• Beat together egg, ice water, and vinegar in a small bowl. Add to flour mixture and pulse just until incorporated, about 10 times more. Squeeze a small amount of dough to make sure it holds together. If dough is too dry, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time. Divide dough in half and wrap each half in plastic wrap, forming each into 1 disk. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes and up to 2 days.

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.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (220 degrees C).
• Line the bottom and sides of a 9 inch pie plate with one of the pie crusts. Brush with some of the beaten egg to keep the dough from becoming soggy later.
• Place the sliced peaches in a large bowl, and sprinkle with lemon juice. Mix gently. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Pour over the peaches, and mix gently. Pour into the pie crust, and dot with butter. Cover with the other pie crust, and fold the edges under. Flute the edges to seal or press the edges with the tines of a fork dipped in egg. Brush the remaining egg over the top crust. Cut several slits in the top crust to vent steam.
• Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven, then reduce the heat to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and bake for an additional 30 to 35 minutes, until the crust is brown and the juice begins to bubble through the vents. If the edges brown to fast, cover them with strips of aluminum foil about halfway through baking. Cool before serving. This tastes better warm than hot.

Steps:

• Mix flour and salt in medium bowl. Cut in shortening, using pastry blender (or pulling 2 table knives through ingredients in opposite directions), until particles are size of small peas. Sprinkle with cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with fork until all flour is moistened and pastry almost leaves side of bowl (1 to 2 teaspoons more water can be added if necessary).
• Gather pastry into a ball. Divide in half and shape into 2 flattened rounds on lightly floured surface. Wrap flattened rounds of pastry in plastic wrap and refrigerate about 45 minutes or until dough is firm and cold, yet pliable. This allows the shortening to become slightly firm, which helps make the baked pastry more flaky. If refrigerated longer, let pastry soften slightly before rolling.
• Roll one round on lightly floured surface, using floured rolling pin, into circle 2 inches larger than upside-down 10-inch glass pie plate. Fold pastry into fourths; place in pie plate. Unfold and ease into plate, pressing firmly against bottom and side.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 475ºF. Mix flour and salt in medium bowl. Cut in shortening, using pastry blender (or pulling 2 table knives through ingredients in opposite directions), until particles are size of small peas. Sprinkle with cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with fork until all flour is moistened and pastry almost leaves side of bowl (1 to 2 teaspoons more water can be added if necessary). Gather pastry into a ball. Shape into flattened round on lightly floured surface. Wrap flattened round of pastry in plastic wrap and refrigerate about 45 minutes or until dough is firm and cold, yet pliable. This allows the shortening to become slightly firm, which helps make the baked pastry more flaky. If refrigerated longer, let pastry soften slightly before rolling.Roll pastry, using floured rolling pin, into circle 2 inches larger than upside-down 9-inch glass pie plate. Fold pastry into fourths; place in pie plate. Unfold and ease into plate, pressing firmly against bottom and side. Trim overhanging edge of pastry 1 inch from rim of pie plate. Fold and roll pastry under, even with plate; flute as desired. Prick bottom and side of pastry thoroughly with fork. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until light brown; cool on wire rack.

Steps:

• Use a bench scraper to cut butter into ½-inch cubes. (If butter begins to "sweat," dust with flour.) In a large, flat-bottomed bowl, combine flour, sugar, and salt. Add the butter cubes and toss to coat with the flour mixture. Use a pastry blender to cut the butter into the flour; do not smash or smear the butter. Scrape butter off the pastry blender during the mixing process and continue mixing. (If butter is softening too fast, put the bowl in the refrigerator until butter firms up, 2-5 minutes.) Continue cutting, working quickly, until butter is broken down and looks like a coarse crumble with only a few larger pieces.
• Combine vinegar with water and ice; you'll use 10-12 tablespoons of this liquid in the pie dough. Begin by sprinkling 4 tablespoons of liquid over the flour mixture; use a bench scraper or your hands to incorporate until the mixture begins to come together. Sprinkle in 4 more tablespoons of liquid and continue the mixing process. Squeeze a fistful of dough: if it holds, like wet sand, it's ready. If it falls apart, add 1-2 more tablespoons of liquid at a time, squeezing the dough to check if it holds. Bring all the dough together, sprinkling dry bits with more small drops of liquid as necessary; dough will look shaggy. Knead in the bowl just until incorporated.
• Turn dough onto a work surface and use a bench scraper to divide dough into two equal pieces. (Note: If you're making the Blueberry Slab Pie, do not divide the dough; shape it into one large, flat disk.) Shape into flat disks and wrap in plastic; refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, preferably overnight. Dough can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and frozen up to 1 month, tightly wrapped. (Note: If you're making the Peach Skillet Pie, stop here; you'll begin that lesson with two chilled disks of dough.)
• Generously grease pie dish with softened butter. Dust a work surface and a rolling pin with flour. Place one chilled pie disk on the work surface and lightly dust it with flour. (Reserve the other disk to use as a top crust for the Salted Caramel Apple Pie or Peach Skillet Pie, or to line a tart pan for the Farmer Cheese and Thyme Pie.)Roll dough by starting at the center and lightly pressing down with the rolling pin to flatten slightly. Rotate the dough and repeat, pressing down so it's evenly flattened all around, about ⅛-inch thick. Then roll outward to make a circle, rotating the dough a quarter-turn at a time to keep it even. (If dough is softening too fast, chill in the refrigerator until firm, 2-5 minutes.) Roll the dough until it's about 2-3 inches larger than the pie dish, all the way around. Use a pizza wheel to trim away the rough edges. (Save the scraps to make crust cookies!)
• Overturn pie dish onto the center of the dough circle, then remove and place it right side up on your work surface. Use the light indentation created by the rim as a guide for gently positioning dough into the center of the dish. (If dough is softening too fast, put it back into the refrigerator until it firms up, 2-5 minutes.) Fit dough gently into dish, being careful not to stretch it. Begin crimping the edge by using your fingers to roll the dough firmly so it rests on top of the rim. Crimp by using your index finger and thumb on one hand to squeeze a letter "C" into the dough rim. (Lightly flour your fingers if the dough is sticking.) Repeat, crimping the entire pie and making sure the final fluted crust sits directly on top of the pan's rim. Chill until it is ready to be filled and baked.

Steps:

• In the bowl of a food processor process the flour with some salt. Add the chilled shortening and butter at once and pulse the machine for 15 seconds until the fat is broken up into oatmeal sized pieces.
• Add 2 tablespoons of ice water and process; if the dough is dry, add more water, one tablespoon at a time. Be sure your dough holds together and absorbs enough water. If it is too dry you'll have a hard time rolling it out.
• Divide the dough into two pieces, one slightly larger than the other and roll out larger half into a 12inch circle.
• Line a 10inch deep glass pie plate with the 12-inch circle and chill the dough. Roll out other half into a 10 1/2inch round for top crust and transfer to a baking dish and refrigerate.

Steps:

• Whisk flour and salt together in a large bowl. Cut in the lard with a knife or pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle in water, 1 tablespoon at a time, blending gently with a fork or pastry blender until all flour is moistened and dough almost cleans the sides of the bowl. Divide the dough in half and shape flattened rounds. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Steps:

• In a bowl, combine flour and salt; cut in shortening until crumbly. Gradually add water, tossing with a fork until dough forms a ball. Divide dough in half so one ball is slightly larger than the other., Roll out the larger ball to fit a 9-in. or 10-in. pie plate. Transfer pastry to pie plate. Trim pastry with even with edge of plate. Pour desired filling into crust. , Roll out second ball; cut slits in pastry. Position over filling. Trim pastry to 1 in. beyond edge of pie plate. Fold top crust over bottom crust. Flute edges. Bake according to recipe directions.

Steps:

• Make the filling: In a large pot, heat 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add the onions, celery and carrots and cook, stirring, until the onions are translucent, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute more.
• Add the remaining 3 tablespoons butter. Once melted, stir in the flour. Cook the mixture, stirring constantly, until it just starts to turn golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Gradually whisk in the chicken broth. Bring the mixture to a simmer. Add the bay leaf, rosemary and thyme. Adjust the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
• Stir in the cream, chicken and peas and return to a simmer. Simmer for 4 to 5 minutes more. Remove the mixture from the heat. Stir in the salt and pepper. Ideally, cool it completely. Remove and discard the bay leaf, and stir in the parsley. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if desired.
• Meanwhile, prepare the crust: Have a 10-inch cast-iron or ovenproof skillet ready. On a lightly floured surface, roll out half of the pie crust to a thickness of about 1/4 inch, making a circle about 3 inches wider all around than the skillet. Gently transfer the dough to the skillet, lining the bottom and easing it up the sides, allowing any excess to drape over the edge of the pan (aim for about 1 inch excess dough all the way around the pan). Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• While the bottom crust is chilling, roll out the remaining dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/4 inch thick. Gently transfer the dough to a parchment-lined baking sheet, then use a pastry wheel to cut it into 1 1/2- to 2-inch wide strips. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
• Pour the cooled filling into the chilled bottom crust and spread evenly. Remove the chilled dough strips from the fridge. Lay strips over the filling, leaving almost no space between them. When the pie is covered, rotate the pan and pull back every other strip of dough, then weave in a fresh strip to create a lattice. Lay the strips back over the new piece of dough, the repeat the process - this time pulling back all the pieces of dough that didn't get moved the first time. Continue until the entire pie is latticed.
• Press the dough together at the edges all the way around the pie; use scissors to trim away any excess dough, then fold the bottom crust up and over the lattice. Dip your finger in water and run it along the edges to help seal it. Use a floured fork to press around the edges to seal the dough together and crimp the crust. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and place a rack in the lower third of the oven. Brush the egg mixture over the top of the pie and sprinkle it with Parmesan. Bake for 30 minutes; lower the oven temperature to 375 degrees F and continue baking until the crust is deeply golden brown (the filling may bubble through the top crust a bit), 40 to 50 minutes more.

Steps:

• Mix flour and salt. Cut in the shortening until particles are the size of peas.
• Sprinkle with the water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with a fork until all the flour is moistened and the pastry almost cleans the side of the bowl. Additional water can be used if necessary.
• Divide pastry into 2 equal parts. Gather each portion into a ball.
• Working with one ball at a time: flatten into a disk on a lightly floured surface. I place my pastry between sheets of plastic wrap or wax paper - which makes it easier to lift onto the pie pan.
• Roll the pastry into a circle that is 2 inches larger around than the inverted pie pan. Carefully ease the pastry into the pan and press it firmly against the bottom and sides.
• Pour in the pie filling and then cover with the remaining pastry. Remember to cut slits in the top to allow steam to escape. Bake according to pie recipe directions.