You want to make a pie and you need a no-fail delicious and easy basic pie crust. I got you. I promise it's not hard, even though you might feel like it's a little intimidating. This recipe is versatile, perfect for both sweet and savory pies or quiche. Follow along!
What ingredients do I need for this how to: basic pie crust?
- All- purpose flour
- Salt
- Sugar
- Margarine or butter
- Ice water
Yup, it's that simple! NO fancy ingredients.
Do I need any special equipment?
You will need:
- Food processor - technically you can also make this recipe by hand, but using the food processor makes it a real breeze!
- Pan for the pie crust (I like to use a tart pan, but a regular Pyrex glass pie pan works great too!)
- Pie weights or BEANS! - that's right, if you don't have specialty pie weights, you can use regular dry beans instead. Hello cholent mix.
How to:
Combine the flour, salt, and sugar in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the "S" blade. Pulse to combine. Cut the margarine or butter into slices and add to the flour mixture. Pulse until small pieces form.
With the processor running on low, slowly add in the ice water until a dough forms.
Remove the dough from the bowl and form into a disk shape. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 400F. When the dough is chilled, roll it out into a large circle on a floured surface. You can gently place your pan on top of the dough to measure out the circle. You should have about 2" extra. Gently transfer the dough to your desired pie dish. I like to use one that has fluted edges already, like a round tart pan. Using a rolling pin, cut off the excess dough.
Refrigerate for 30 minutes or freeze for 20. Remove the crust from the fridge and prick with a fork. Line the crust with a sheet of parchment paper and pour in the dry beans or pie weights. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and remove the beans. Fill and bake as desired.
Blind baking
As you read above, the crust is baked before being filled. This technique is called "Blind baking." This ensures that the pie shell gets baked all the way through, and prevents the bottom of the crust from getting soggy. Pie crusts are fully blind baked when the pie recipe calls for a filling that doesn't need to be cooked, such as chocolate pudding or pastry cream and fresh fruit. In that case, bake the crust for longer then this recipe calls for, until it's completely golden brown.
About those beans...
The beans help weigh down the dough so that it holds it's shape and doesn't shrink. You can use them over and over again. I have a bag labeled "pie beans!"
Storing
You can make pie dough in advance! Wrap well and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. When your ready to use it, remove it from the freezer and let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
How to: Basic Pie Dough
Equipment
- Food processor
- Pie dish
- Pie weights or dry beans
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 stick margarine or butter
- 4-5 tablespoon ice water
Instructions
- Combine the flour, salt, and sugar in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the "S" blade. Pulse to combine. Cut the margarine or butter into slices and add to the flour mixture. Pulse until small pieces form. With the processor running on low, slowly add in the ice water until a dough forms.
- Remove the dough from the bowl and form into a disk shape. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 400F. When the dough is chilled, roll it out into a large circle on a floured surface. You can gently place your pan on top of the dough to measure out the circle. You should have about 2" extra. Gently transfer the dough to your desired pie dish. I like to use one that has fluted edges already, like a round tart pan. Using a rolling pin, cut off the excess dough. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or freeze for 20.
- Remove the crust from the fridge and prick with a fork. Line the crust with a sheet of parchment paper and pour in the dry beans or pie weights. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and remove the beans. Fill and bake as desired.
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