Makesenough for 1 (9-inch) double-crust pie (see cooks' note, below)
- Active time:10 min
- Start to finish:1 1/4 hr
November 2008
This supple homemade dough rolls beautifully into a solid base and laces into a pretty lattice top.
-
2 1/2
cups
all-purpose flour
-
2
sticks cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
-
1/2
teaspoon
salt
-
7 to 9
tablespoons
ice water
Make dough:
-
Blend together flour, butter, and salt in a bowl with your fingertips or a pastry blender (or pulse in a food processor) just until mixture resembles coarse meal with some small (roughly pea-size) butter lumps.
-
Drizzle 5 to 6 Tbsp ice water evenly over mixture. Gently stir with a fork (or pulse) until incorporated. Squeeze a small handful of dough: if it doesn't hold together, add more water, 1/2 Tbsp at a time, stirring (or pulsing) until incorporated. Do not overwork dough, or pastry will be tough.
-
Turn out onto a work surface and divide into 8 portions. With heel of your hand, smear each portion once or twice in a forward motion to help distribute fat. Gather dough together, with a pastry scraper if you have one. Press into a ball, then flatten into 2 (5-inch) disks and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill until firm, as least 1 hour.
Cooks’ notes: - For a single-crust 9-inch pie or 9- to 11-inch tart, halve this recipe (drizzle in 2 to 3 Tbsp water). Divide dough into 4 portions before smearing; form into 1 disk (not 2).
- Dough can be chilled 2 days or frozen, wrapped well, 3 months.
