There are a handful of dishes that serve as true measures of any good cook: a great omelet, a comforting and well-balanced soup, a perfectly crisp and golden roast chicken, and a tender, flaky pie crust. Perhaps because of the risk of overworking, and turning out something that tears in two or tastes more leaden than light, many home cooks shy away from homemade dough, opting instead for unfold-as-you-go boxed crusts. But making perfect pie dough from scratch should be part of any home cook’s basic skills. And the best dough for homemade pies is pâte brisée. Like pasta dough, pâte brisée is a simple paste containing flour and water, but in this case butter is a key component and plays an integral role in creating the flaky texture. Getting the right proportion of butter to flour is crucial, as is using very cold ingredients and a light hand.
Recipe information
Yield
Makes enough for two 9- or 10-inch single-crust pies or one 9- or 10-inch double-crust pie
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Combine dry ingredients Pulse flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor to combine (or whisk together by hand in a bowl).
Step 2
Cut in butter Add butter, and pulse until coarse crumbs form, about 10 seconds (or quickly cut in with a pastry blender or your fingertips). The mixture should have pieces ranging from coarse crumbs to the size of small peas.
Step 3
Add water Add the water (start with 7 tablespoons and add up to 2 tablespoons more water only if necessary, 1 tablespoon at a time) and pulse until dough just holds together when pinched (do not process longer than 30 seconds). The mixture should retain a crumbly texture at this point; it should not be sticky. (If mixing by hand, drizzle water over flour mixture, and mix with a fork until dough just holds together.)
Step 4
Shape and chill dough Turn out dough onto a clean work surface. Knead once or twice to incorporate loose bits. Divide in half. Pat each half into a thick disk, then place on a piece of plastic wrap and gather wrap to flatten disk. Wrap tightly in plastic and refrigerate at least 1 hour (or overnight). Dough can be frozen up to 1 month; thaw in refrigerator overnight before using.
