get your yummy back

I realize that for many of you, the words “pie crust” and “easy” simply do not belong in the same sentence. However, I disagree. Even before I was cooking professionally, I thought they were simple and fun to make. Maybe it’s the recipe (no fuss, no refrigeration required). Maybe it’s how easy my Mom always made it seem (this is her recipe and she loved baking). Very likely, it’s a combination of both. 

This recipe makes enough for two 9-inch crusts. If you plan on only using one crust, simply wrap the second half in plastic wrap and freeze it until you are ready to use it.

For a simple, delicious pie crust, you will need:

• 2 1/4 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 5 tablespoons cold water

In the bowl of a food processor, add the flour, salt, and chilled butter. Pulse to combine, leaving small pea-size chunks of butter in the mix. Add 3 tablespoons of cold water. Turn the processor on. Gradually add the 4th and 5th tablespoons of water, processing the dough until it hugs the sides of the bowl and rolls into a ball. Remove the dough from the processor to a well-floured surface. Divide the dough in half and proceed to roll it out for pie.

One key to a good pie crust is keeping the ingredients cold (in this case, butter and water). The small bits of butter in the dough melt in the heat of the oven, creating pockets of steam that turn into flaky layers. The other key to a good pie crust is to not over-work the dough, so once it comes together into a ball, stop the processor immediately. This recipe works well for both sweet and savory pies and tarts, and quiches too. Enjoy!