Basic Pie Dough

Posted by Chef Anthony on Nov 15, 2013 in Uncategorized

A good pie dough is essential to the success of any pie. Luckily, recipes and methods for making pie dough are fairly consistent anywhere you look. This particular recipe can be found in the January 2006 issue of Gourmet Magazine, though, like any pie dough recipe, this one is simple enough for anyone to make!

Ingredients: (makes 1 pie crust)
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
¾ stick (6 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
2 tablespoons cold vegetable shortening
¼ teaspoon salt
3-4 tablespoons ice water

Instructions:

Blend together flour, butter, shortening, and salt in a bowl with your fingertips or a pastry blender (or pulse in a food processor) just until mixture resembles coarse meal with some small (roughly pea-size) butter lumps.

Drizzle 3 tablespoons ice water evenly over mixture and gently stir with a fork (or pulse) until incorporated.

Squeeze a small handful of dough: if it doesn’t hold together, add more ice water ½ tablespoon at a time, stirring (or pulsing) until incorporated, then test again.

Note: do not overwork dough, or pastry will be tough.

Wrap each portion of dough in plastic wrap and allow to chill for at least one hour before rolling.

NOTES ON ROLLING OUT DOUGH:

I like my dough to have warmed up for about 10 minutes after it has been chilling, especially if the dough has been stored for several hours or overnight.

I also like to use the heat from my hands to warm the edges of the dough discs slightly as they tend to crack when rolling if they are too cold.

On a lightly floured work surface roll out the dough into ¼ “ thick disc about 1 ½ “ bigger than the diameter of your pie or tart pan.

Once rolled, lay the pan gently on top the dough and use the edge of the pan as a guide to cut an even disc of dough.

Remove the pan and using you rolling pin, gently roll the dough around the pin half way and transfer the dough to the center of the pan. Then release of other half of the dough in the pan, making sure to firmly and gently press the dough into the corners of the pan.

Now tuck the excess dough under itself around the rim of the pan. Using two fingers from each hand, crimp the edges of the dough, created a fluted edge.

Place the dough in the freezer to chill a few minutes prior to baking.