Pie Crust (Recipe)

Pie Crust

This recipe for an easy-to-handle pastry dough which we use for both dinner and dessert pies is from Tom Walls, our resident pastry-maker, who rolls out the tenderest, flaky crusts.

Ingredients:
9-INCH SINGLE PIE CRUST  
10-INCH SINGLE PIE CRUST
1 cup unbleached white flour (up to 1/2  
1½ cups unbleached white flour (up to
cup whole wheat flour may be  
3/4 cup whole wheat flour may besubstituted)  
1/3 cup chilled butter  
1/2 cup chilled butter
2 tablespoons ice water
1/2 teaspoon salt (if unsalted butter is used)
3 tablespoons ice water
1/2 teaspoon salt (if unsalted butter is used)

Procedures:
Sift the flour into a mixing bowl.
Cut the butter into small pieces and sprinkle onto the flour.
Working quickly so that the butter will remain cold, use a pastry cutter,
two knives, or your fingertips to cut the butter into the flour until the butter pieces are pea-sized.
Sprinkle the ice water over the flour, a little at a time, as you turn the dough with a wooden spoon.
As the water is incorporated, a ball of dough will form. Add a little more ice water if the dough fails to come together.
Roll out the dough immediately on a lightly floured board, or chill until firm, 30 to 60 minutes, before rolling.