Pie Crust

So a few years ago (yes that is how tramatic an experience it was) I tried to make a Pumpkin Pie COMPLETELY from scratch.  The best compliment I can give it...it was edible.  So after this tramatic experience I am going to try again!

Still being pregnant my tolerence for work is slim.  So today all I did was make the crust. 

I love making my own crust (and I only have a small food processor...that cannot hold all the ingredients for pie crust).  There I said it.  I find it relaxing.  I just gather up all my ingredients sit back and crumble in the butter.  It is messy, but fun.

The recipe I use is from Vegitarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison.  It is a completely amazing cook book.  Eventhough I am not a vegitarian, any more, there are so many awesome recipes that I use it quite often.  I have adapted the recipe slightly for my needs. 

Ingredients:
(makes ONE 9'' pie crust)
1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 lb. butter (1 stick)-very cold
4-6 Tbs. ice water
salt or sugar to taste (about 1 Tbs. sugar or 1 tsp. salt)

Measure out flour and sugar or salt.

1) Measure out flour and put in a medium bowl. Add the sugar or salt. 
2) Cut butter (straight from the fridge or even freezer) into small squares and dump into flour. 

Cut butter into small squares.

3) Crumble with your fingers the butter into the flour.  I just dig in and squeeze the butter into the flour. 
4) When all the butter is incorporated the mixture should be flaky and powdery.  Start adding the water (a little at a time)

After butter is added it should hold together like this, but still be crumbly.

5) After adding some water, kneed the dough.  Keep adding and kneeding until the mixture comes together.
6) Press into a disk shape (for easier rolling) and wrap tightly.  Put in the fridge for at least an hour. 

Finished dough in disk shape, ready for the fridge.

*This is the way to make the pie crust if you do not have a food processor.  If you do, it is a lot simpler: just cut up the butter, add it, the flour and sugar or salt to the food processor, pulse until crumbly, slowly add water while pulsing.  It is ready when almost all of the ingredients are incorporated.  You still have to dump it out and hand kneed it until it all comes together.*

Sugar or salt? It just depends on your taste.  I used sugar because I knew I was going to use the pie crust for a sweet treat.  If I'm making quiche or a savory tart, I'll use salt.  (I've also been known to use salted butter just to cut out the step of measuring the salt...but doing that takes away the control you have of how much salt to add). 

I doubled the above recipe because I figured if I'm going through enough trouble of making my own crust, I might as well make two of them.  You should also double if you are making any pie that uses a crust for the top, like apple or blueberry.