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I am back with another Cooking 101 tutorial, this time for Pie Crust: Cooking 101! I have a love hate relationship with pie crust, as most people do. This is the best recipe that I have found that works every time…..
Cassi is actually the one that found it in her Baking at Home with The Culinary Institute of America cookbook. Once upon a time, Princess Cassi wanted to be a pastry chef. While we were visiting Napa, CA, we went to the CIA and I purchased this book for her…..and got her information on enrolling in their school when she was finished with high school. Little Miss Frugal did not see the value in a $100,000 education, that will qualify you for a minimum wage job upon graduation. The dream may have changed, but the cookbook is a keeper!
This is Cassi’s French Apple Pie that she made for the Fourth of July…..
Not too shabby for her first pie! She made her pie with the left over dough that I had from making my Chocolate Cream Pie…..
This recipe is enough to make a double-crust 9-inch pie, or two single crust pies…..like we did! Cassi recently made another Lattice Top Apple Pie so we could get pictures of it, and it was just as gorgeous as the first one she made!
This is also the crust for my Turkey Sausage Rolls that I make whenever appetizers are needed…..
And these cute Pie Crust Spoons…..
How to make the Perfect Pie Crust: Cooking 101
It’s up to you which way you prefer to make your Pie Crust, in a food processor or by hand.
Place flour, salt and butter into the bowl of a food processor, or in a bowl and use a pastry cutter…..
Pulse/mix ingredients until they resemble a coarse meal…..
Drizzle the cold water a Tablespoon at a time over the mixture. Continue to pulse to combine until mixture holds together. It should be evenly moist, but not wet.
Turn the dough out onto a well floured work surface. Divide into two balls, set one aside. Pat each ball down into a disk, wrap well with plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for 20 minutes…..
Place dough on well floured work surface, or place between two sheets of parchment paper and roll out to 1/8th inch thickness. Roll into desired size needed for your recipe. A bottom crust for a 9-inch pie is about 13-inches in diameter. Roll the top crust out to a 9-inch diameter circle.
Fill and bake according to recipe directions.
Notes:
- The most important part to remember is the cold butter, cold water, and to chill before using.
- Handle the dough as little as possible. Overworking the dough is for making bread {to develop the gluten}, not tender pie crust.
Enjoy!!
Pie Crust
Ingredients
- 2 2/3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour plus extra for dusting
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter cold (cut into pieces)
- 1/2 cup ice water or as needed
Instructions
- Place flour, salt and butter into the bowl of a food processor. (or in a bowl and use a pastry cutter)
- Pulse ingredients until they resemble a coarse meal.
- Drizzle the cold water a Tablespoon at a time over the mixture. Continue to pulse to combine until mixture holds together. It should be evenly moist, but not wet.
- Turn the dough out onto a well floured work surface. Divide into two balls, set one aside. Pat each ball down into a disk, wrap well with plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
- Place dough on well floured work surface, or place between two sheets of parchment paper and roll out to 1/8th inch thickness. Roll into desired size needed for your recipe. A bottom crust for a 9-inch pie is about 13-inches in diameter. Roll the top crust out to a 9-inch diameter circle.
- Fill and bake according to recipe directions.
Notes
- The most important part to remember is the cold butter, cold water, and to chill before using.
- Handle the dough as little as possible. Overworking the dough is for making bread {to develop the gluten}, not tender pie crust.
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The CIA is an incredible school, but Cassie is right — minimum wage unless you become a Food network star or land a spot on Top Chef.
I like how frugal Cassie is! Hope my kids end up like that! I easily get intimidated by piecrust, but am usually so happy to try a homemade recipe instead of buying a crust. Great post Lisa.
Thank you! I need all the help I can get when it comes to pie crusts! I’m kind of looking forward to that sausage roll recipe too.
Thanks, Lisa – perfect time of the year for a lesson on making pie crust! 🙂 Pinning and sharing! Have a happy Friday!
Thanks for including the measurement for the bottom crust, Lisa! I’m pretty sure that’s why my 10-inch pie crusts always look like heck after I crimp them…
Fabulous tips Lisa – have pinned, Alice
I too have a love/hate relationship with pie crust. I love it but I hate making it. I always just buy them. You make it look too easy. 🙂
I’ll definitely be using this pie crust recipe to make chicken pot pies! Thanks!
I’ve always wanted to make a pie from scratch and have yet to do it. I get pie envy when I see how yummy they look 😉
xoxo
Denyse
I’ve GOT to get me a real food processor. I have one of those crappy little mini ones and I want a real one!! And I also want that sausage roll recipe!
-andi
I should give making crust another try! You make it look so easy!
I must confess that I usually use premade pie crusts, but when I want to make it from scratch I’ll be coming to this recipe for sure! Your daughter is a talented baker just like her mama. I can’t believe that was her first pie! Thanks for linking up at Saturday Night Fever, Lisa 🙂
OK, I’m pinning this so my daughter will stop lecturing me about how simple pie crust is to make. OK , it is. Thank you.
Thank you! I really needed a tutorial especially with Thanksgiving coming up. Thanks for sharing on the weekend re-Treat link party!
Britni @ Play. Party. Pin.
Looks like a very doable recipe for pie crust! Thanks for the tutorial.
Pie crust has to be one of my least favorite things to make …. they taste good, but look like crap! Ha! Pinned and stumbled this one, Lisa!