Basic Pie Crust
- 1 c. flour
- ½ c. butter
- 1/6 c. ice water
Put flour and butter in Cuisinart or mixer and pulse for 1 to 2 sec. bursts until most of the fat is the size of peas. Or, cut the butter into the flour with 2 butter knives or a pastry cutter if you have one. Don’t overwork it or the dough will become too dense.
Once butter is all in little crumbly pieces, make ice water by putting ice in water and waiting for it to get very cold. Drizzle the water on and mix until dough is beginning to clump into small balls, but do not allow to form a single mass during processing.
Rolling the Pie Dough
Sprinkle flour on a clean surface and onto the rolling pin. Roll out dough from the centre out in all directions, adding more flour as needed if the dough is sticking to the rolling pin or the surface. Roll the dough out to a 3/4” overhang, ease the dough into your pie plate, and fold the overhanging dough back so it is flush with the rim. Press all around with the tines of a fork to make a nice crimped rim.
Seal cracks by pushing together dough bits with your fingers, or if it is a larger hole, dab a dough scrap with cold water and firmly press it into place.
If the dough becomes too soft during rolling, loosen it from the countertop, place on a plate, and refrigerate until it firms up.
A Note
This recipe makes enough crust for the bottom layer of a pie, ie. a pie without a top crust. If you want to make a double crust pie, double the amounts in this recipe.
It is also a good idea to double this recipe, divide the dough into 2 parts, and refrigerate half your dough for a rainy day. Chilling pie dough makes it easier to handle, but if dough has been chilled for a long time then allow to stand until it feels firm yet pliable before using.