Makesenough pastry dough for one 9-inch pie or one 10-inch tart
April 1999
The key to this crisp, flaky pastry is to handle the dough as little as possible and to keep it cool.
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1 3/4
cups
cake flour (not self-rising) plus additional for kneading and rolling
-
3
tablespoons
sugar
-
1/2
teaspoon
salt
-
1 1/2
sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, frozen
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6 to 8
tablespoons
ice water
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Into a chilled large metal bowl sift together flour, sugar, and salt. Set a grater in flour bowl and coarsely grate frozen butter into flour mixture, gently lifting and tossing flour to coat butter. Chill flour mixture 20 minutes.
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Drizzle 6 tablespoons ice water evenly over flour mixture and gently stir with a fork until just incorporated. Test mixture by gently squeezing a small handful: When it has proper texture it should hold together without crumbling apart. If necessary, add enough remaining ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring until just incorporated, and test mixture again. (If you overwork mixture or add too much water, pastry dough will be tough.)
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Turn mixture out onto a lightly floured surface and with floured hands mound into 4 portions. With heel of hand smear each portion once in a forward motion to help distribute fat.
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Gather dough portions together and form dough, rotating it on work surface, into a disk (dough will not be smooth). Chill dough, wrapped in plastic wrap, at least 2 hours, or until firm, and up to 2 days.
