The whole day was wonderful. The weather was beautiful, and who can ask for more than to spend a Sunday on a farm with your friends, playing with ducks and horses and drinking homemade lemonade? It was awesome. I also brought my hammock, which Sam enjoyed thoroughly.
Lots of my friends came to pick blueberries, and when I got home I found I had a request for my pie crust recipe. Unfortunately, I'm a terrible friend and I forgot about it until now. Also, I have to admit that I am not the pie crust maker in my house - it's Sam. However, this is the recipe he uses and it's great!
adapted from How to Bake by Nick Malgieri
For a One-Crust Pie (about 10oz dough)
1 1/4 cup bleached all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp baking powder
8 tbsp (one stick) COLD unsalted butter, cubed
2-3 tbsp cold water
For a Two-Crust Pie, double the recipe.
To mix the dough by hand, combine the dry ingredients (flour, salt, baking powder) in a medium mixing bowl and stir to combine. Add butter to the bowl and toss a few times to coat. With your hands, rub the butter into the flour, ensuring that you are mixing the butter into the dry ingredients evenly. Once the mixture looks uniform and resembles coarse-ground cornmeal, sprinkle 2 tbsp butter over the mixture. Stir with a fork until the dough begins to hold together but still appears somewhat dry. If the dough seems too dry, add more water 1 teaspoon at a time until the dough holds together easily. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead 3-5 times, until it is smooth and uniform.
To mix the dough in a food processor, which is what we do, combine the dry ingredients into the work bowl of the processor fitted with the metal blade. Pulse 3 times at 1-second intervals to mix. Add butter to the work bowl. Pulse repeatedly until the mixture is fine and powdery, resembling a coarse-ground cornmeal (about 15 pulses). Sprinkle the water over the mixture and pulse about 5-6 times, until the dough begins to hold together. If the dough seems too dry, add more water 1 teaspoon at a time until the dough holds together easily. Turn the dough out on a floured surface and knead 3-5 times, until it is smooth and uniform.
Chill the dough by pressing it into a 6" circular disk (or two for a two-crust pie) and wrapping in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm, at least one hour. The dough can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 days, or can be frozen if it is double-wrapped.
To use the dough, take it out of the refrigerator and let it sit on the counter about 5 minutes. Using a floured (or non-stick) rolling pin, roll the dough out into a 12" circle (for a 9" pie pan) and place into the bottom of the ungreased pan. Cut off any uneven edges with kitchen shears or a sharp knife, leaving 1/2" to 1" of pie crust outside of the pan for folding. Fold the crust over onto itself and pinch to create a fluted edge.
Here's a great video tutorial on how to use your pie crust. Gotta love Alton Brown!! His blueberry pie recipe is the one I use, by the way. It's awesome because you can make the filling (and as you have learned, the crust) ahead of time and keep it in the freezer!
Now go forth and make all the pies!
To mix the dough in a food processor, which is what we do, combine the dry ingredients into the work bowl of the processor fitted with the metal blade. Pulse 3 times at 1-second intervals to mix. Add butter to the work bowl. Pulse repeatedly until the mixture is fine and powdery, resembling a coarse-ground cornmeal (about 15 pulses). Sprinkle the water over the mixture and pulse about 5-6 times, until the dough begins to hold together. If the dough seems too dry, add more water 1 teaspoon at a time until the dough holds together easily. Turn the dough out on a floured surface and knead 3-5 times, until it is smooth and uniform.
Chill the dough by pressing it into a 6" circular disk (or two for a two-crust pie) and wrapping in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm, at least one hour. The dough can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 days, or can be frozen if it is double-wrapped.
To use the dough, take it out of the refrigerator and let it sit on the counter about 5 minutes. Using a floured (or non-stick) rolling pin, roll the dough out into a 12" circle (for a 9" pie pan) and place into the bottom of the ungreased pan. Cut off any uneven edges with kitchen shears or a sharp knife, leaving 1/2" to 1" of pie crust outside of the pan for folding. Fold the crust over onto itself and pinch to create a fluted edge.
Here's a great video tutorial on how to use your pie crust. Gotta love Alton Brown!! His blueberry pie recipe is the one I use, by the way. It's awesome because you can make the filling (and as you have learned, the crust) ahead of time and keep it in the freezer!
Now go forth and make all the pies!
