Pie Tart Dough

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This recipe will make enough dough to line two 9-inch (23 cm) pie plates or to make one double-crust pie. If only using half the recipe, freeze the remaining. For best results, use very cold butter.

  • 1/2 lb cold unsalted butter

  • 2 cups unbleached flour

  • 1/4 cup sugar

  • 1/2 tsp sea salt

  • 1/4 cup ice water

Cut the butter into 1/2-inch (1 cm) cubes. Since butter softens rapidly with handling, return the cubes to the refrigerator for at least 10 minutes while continuing with next step.

In a food processor fitted with a steel blade, combine the flour, sugar and salt; pulse a few times to mix. Add the butter, tossing quickly with your fingers to coat each cube with flour, taking care not to touch the blade. This prevents the butter cubes from sticking together and helps them break apart and combine more evenly with the flour. Pulse about 15 times or until the butter particles are the size of small peas.

With the motor running, add the ice water all at once through the feed tube. Process for about 10 seconds, stopping the machine before the dough becomes a solid mass.

Turn out the dough onto a sheet of foil, pressing any loose particles into the mass. Roughly form into a 7-inch (18 cm) disc. Cover completely with foil and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. The dough can be refrigerated for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 2 weeks.

To blind bake: Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a pie dish with the pastry and cover with foil or parchment paper. Fill the shell with dried beans, rice or baking weights. Bake until light golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. If you wish to brown the inside of the shell, remove the weights after 10 minutes and return to the oven for the remaining 10 to 15 minutes.

bakingdanielle acken