lisa's recipe collection: Simple Flaky Pie Crust

Makes enough dough for 1 double-crust pie or 2 single-crust pies. To watch a video demonstration click here.

2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
16 Tablespoons (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/4 to 1/2 cup ice water

In a food processor, combine flour, salt, and sugar; pulse to combine.

Add butter; pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, with just a few pea-size pieces of butter remaining. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup ice water. Pulse until dough is crumbly but holds together when squeezed with fingers (if necessary, add up to 1/4 cup more water, 1 Tablespoon at a time). To help ensure a flaky crust, do not over process.

Transfer half of dough (still crumbly) onto a piece of plastic wrap. Form dough into a disk 3/4 inch thick; wrap tightly in plastic. Refrigerate until firm, at least 15 minutes to 1 hour (and up to 3 days). Repeat with remaining dough. (Disks can be frozen, tightly wrapped, up to 3 months. Thaw before using.) Makes 2 disks.

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When ready to roll pie dough:

Lightly flour a large piece of waxed paper; place a disk of dough in center. Rolling from center outward, form into a 12-inch circle. (Use paper to rotate dough, and flour rolling pin and paper as necessary to prevent sticking.) Transfer dough (still on paper) to a baking sheet; cover and refrigerate. Gotta keep that douhg COLD! Repeat with second disk of dough.

Remove first circle of dough from refrigerator; wrap around rolling pin (discarding paper), and carefully unroll over a 9-inch pie plate. Gently lift edges and lower dough into the pie plate so it hugs bottom and sides. Avoid stretching the dough, which will make it shrink during baking. Refrigerate for 15 minutes. Cooks Country says to refrigerate 40 min and freeze 20 min before baking.

Bake at 425˚, with a rack set in lowest position for 10-15 minutes, or until just golden. May wrap edges with foil to prevent being too crisp.

Place a large piece of parchment paper on top of dough and fill with dry beans. Press beans into edges of dough and bake in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove parchment and beans and continue baking until golden in color, approximately 10 to 15 minutes longer. Remove from oven and place on cooling rack. Let cool completely before filling.

Remove dough-lined pie plate from refrigerator. Fill with pie mixture. Lightly brush rim of pie shell with water.

If using a pie crust on top as well:

Remove remaining circle of dough from refrigerator. Lay over pie mixture; press along moistened rim to seal. Using kitchen shears, trim overhang to 1 inch. With floured fingers, fold overhang under itself to form a thick rim; pinch between thumb and forefinger to form a uniform edge around the rim of the pie plate.

To crimp edges: With thumb and index finger of one hand, gently press dough against knuckle of other hand (photo, below); continue around pie. (Deep indentations anchor dough on rim and prevent it from sliding down sides of pie plate during baking.)

With a floured paring knife, cut 5 to 6 slits in top of pie, radiating from center; place pie plate on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake 20 minutes; reduce heat to 375˚, and bake until crust is golden and juices are bubbling, 50 to 60 minutes more. If edges brown too quickly, cover with aluminum foil. Cool completely, at least 6 hours, before serving.
recipe and photos found here and here.

Roll the dough nice and big