Sunday, November 17, 2013

The Easiest Pie Crust You Will Ever Make...yeah, you're welcome!


There is one single question I get asked a lot this time of year. And here's the answer. For all my friends and customers who have asked for our pie dough recipe, here it is. It's a hybrid of many recipes I've used over the years. It's everything you look for in a pie crust: easy to make, flaky, tender, tasty, versatile (yes, works with savory pies too), and it has a great shelf life. Give it a try, love it, and thank me later. And if you still don't feel like making your own, there's still time to order a pie (or two) from our Thanksgiving To Go menu on our website at cookscountyrestaurant.com/Thanksgiving.html

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Roxana

P.S. Follow me and Cooks County on Instagram @roxanajullapat and @cookscounty to see some awesome pics of our lovely pies! 



The Easiest Pie Crust You Will Ever Make

Makes two 9-inch pie shells or one 9-inch double-crusted pie

Ingredients:
8 ounces pastry flour (1 3/4 cups)
½ teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
6 ounces unsalted butter (3/4 cup), cold, cubed into ½-1 inch cubes
6 ounces cream cheese (3/4 cup), cold, cubed into ½-1 inch cubes
2 tablespoons iced water 

Method:
Combine the flour, salt and sugar in a medium-sized mixing bowl and toss the cubed butter and cream cheese into the flour. Use a pastry cutter (or your fingertips) to cut the fat into pieces the size of a dime into the flour. Make a well in the center and pour the iced water. Mix gently with your hands until the mixture resembles a raggedy dough; don’t worry if chunks of butter or cream cheese are still visible. Flatten the dough into a disc and wrap tightly with plastic film. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to 48 hours.

Set the oven rack on the middle position and preheat the oven to 350ºF.

To make two 9-inch pie shells:
Roll out the pie dough on a floured surface flat enough to cut two rounds between 10 and 11 inches in diameter and about 1/4-inch thick. Pick one of the rounds by rolling it onto the rolling pin, and lay it on a 9-inch pie pan. Gently press the dough onto the bottom of the pan, leaving a lip on the edge. Trim the excess dough with kitchen scissors just to the border of the pie pan. Crimp the edges together or gently press them with a fork. Repeat with the other round. You may refrigerate or freeze your pie shell at this point. It will bake better if you allow it to chill for at least 20 minutes before blind baking it. Blind baking is a technique in which you line the unbaked pie shell with parchment paper and fill it with pie weights (available in kitchen supply stores) or dried beans before baking it to ensure that it doesn't puff up in the oven. Put the pie shell lined with parchment paper and filled with pie weights on a cookie tray, place in the oven and bake all the way. Depending on oven performance this may take 20 to 30 minutes. When the shell is done, take out of the oven, let cool completely, remove the pie weights and fill as desired. 

To make a 9-inch double-crusted pie:
Roll out the pie dough on a floured surface flat enough to cut two rounds between 10 and 11 inches in diameter and about 1/4-inch thick. Pick one of the rounds by rolling it onto the rolling pin, and lay it on a 9-inch pie pan. Gently press the dough onto the bottom of the pan, leaving a lip on the edge. Carefully fill the pie pan with the filling of your choice trying to form a mound in the center. Pick the other round of dough just like you did before and lay it on top of the pie. Trim the excess dough with kitchen scissors just to the border of the pie pan. Crimp the edges together or gently press them with a fork. With a pairing knife, cut four 2-inch slits on top of the pie to let steam out while baking. Brush the top with a beaten egg and sprinkle it generously with sugar (optional). Place the pie pan on a cookie sheet and bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour. The pie is ready when the top is a rich, golden brown and the filling starts to bubble. Remove from the oven and let it cool for at least one hour before serving.