Single Pie Crust

  in Desserts, Misc, Recipes, Uncategorized

This recipe is easy and fool proof if you follow the instructions to the letter. In addition to pie, you can use this to make a galette or quiche.

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
4 tablespoons ice-cold water + more if needed

  1. Cut butter into 1/2 inch cubes and place in freezer for a few minutes.
  2. Fill a glass measuring cup with cold water and add a few ice cubes.
  3. Combine flour and salt in a food processor; pulse to mix.
  4. Add butter to flour mix and pulse a few times, until mixture resembles coarse meal, with pea size pieces of butter. Add ice water 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing until mixture begins to clump together. If you pinch some of the dough and it holds together, it’s ready. If the dough doesn’t hold together, add a little more cold water and pulse again.
  5. Remove dough and place in a pile on a clean surface. Shape and press the dough into a thick disk. Tightly wrap the disk in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes, and up to 2 days. (If you make the dough in advance, let it sit at room temperature for 15 minutes just to barely soften it enough to make rolling it out easier.)
  6. Remove the disk from the refrigerator. Scatter a little flour over your work surface. Remove the wrapping and place the disk in the middle. Scatter a little more flour on top of the disk and roll out with a rolling pin to a 12-inch circle; it should be about 1/8 of an inch thick. As you roll out the dough, keep checking to see if the dough is sticking to the surface underneath. If necessary, add a few more sprinkles of flour under the dough to keep the dough from sticking. Fold the dough in half and carefully place onto a 9-inch pie plate and unfold. Gently press the dough down so it lines the bottom and sides of the pie plate.
  7. Fold the edge of the dough under itself. Flute* the edge using your thumb and forefinger or press with a fork. Keep refrigerated until ready to fill and bake.

*Push your thumb or index finger from one hand in between the thumb and index finger of the opposite, creating a pattern in the edge of the dough.