Single Crust Pie Dough

April 23, 2015

Buttery, crisp and flaky, this is a good old-fashioned pie crust recipe, also known as pate brisee.

For step-by-step recipe with photos or a double-crust pie dough recipe, click here.

Single-Crust Pie Dough

Yields: 1 9-inch pie crust, enough for a single-crust pie

Buttery, crisp, crumbly, and flaky, this is a good old-fashioned pie crust recipe, also known as pate brisee.

Ingredients

Instructions

Process flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor for a few seconds until combined (Instead of food processor, you can do the whole process by hand, using a pastry cutter). Add butter and pulse until mixture becomes crumbly and resembles coarse meal (different size of butter pieces or some large pieces is fine), about 15 pulses. Add 2 tablespoons water and keep pulsing, adding more water as needed, one tablespoon at a time, until the dough isn’t dry and starts to clump together. Do not process to the point that a large ball of dough is formed, rather the dough should be quite crumbly with large clumps. Another way to check if it’s done, is to take a piece of dough and press it between your thumbs – the dough should stick well together without feeling dry or crumbly.
Turn the dough to a floured surface and form into a ball. It should come together easily without being sticky. Flatten ball slightly with your hands to form a 1-inch thick disc. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before proceeding with your pie recipe.
If you don’t want to use the dough right away, you can refrigerate it or for up to 3 days or freeze it for up to a month, then thaw it overnight in the fridge.