Mary Ann's Blog
Ciao Italia Blog Exclusive: Mary Ann's Pie Crust Recipe
November 3, 2008
Just in time for the holidays, here is an easy pie crust recipe. Use it with your favorite filling.
Mary Ann’s Pie Crust Recipe
Makes one 9-inch Pie Crust
1-1/2 cups cold unbleached all purpose flour
1 /2 teaspoon Salt
1/4 cup unsalted butter or shortening, cut into bits
4 tablespoons cold ice water
Recipe for a Double Crust Pie
2-1/4 cups cold unbleached all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter or shortening, cut into bits
6 to 7 tablespoons cold ice water
Directions
Hand Method:
Combine the flour and salt in a mixing bowl and stir to combine. Add the butter. With a fork or a pastry blender, blend the ingredients together, working quickly, until you have a mixture of tiny, irregular flakes and bits about the size of coarse bread crumbs.
Sprinkle on the water, 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring gently with a fork after each addition. Add just enough water for the dough to form a rough mass. With floured hands pat the dough into a round disk, cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Food Processor Method:
With steel blade attached, place the flour, salt and butter in the work bowl. Process with 15 rapid on-off pulses. The mixture should be crumbly.
Add 2 tablespoons of the water (4 tablespoons for a double crust) and process again with 5 rapid on/off pulses. Stop and pinch a little of the dough between your fingers; if it holds together, that is enough liquid, If it is not damp enough to work with and falls apart, add more water a little at a time and pulse again until you can pinch a small amount between your fingers and it holds together. The dough does not have to form a ball. Gather it up and form into a disk shape. Wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Use with your favorite pie filling.
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