Easy Peasy Pie Crust

This is my basic go-to pie crust. You can make it in your food processor if you’re pressed for time, or you can make it like Grandma did with a bowl, a grater, and your hands. Either way, it’s amazing and delicious. It makes one 9” crust, so double it if you’re making a 2-crust pie. Or triple it to make lots of hand pies. Or you can make chicken pot pie, tarts, whatever you’re in the mood for… this pie crust is a great basic to have in your recipe files.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

• Pinch of kosher salt

• 2 Tbsp of sugar

• 10 Tbsp cold butter

• 1/4 cup ice water (you may not use all of it)

• 1 tablespoon vinegar (or lemon juice works too)

Directions

In a medium bowl, whisk flour, salt and sugar together. Add the vinegar to the ice water and set aside. Using a grater, grate the butter into the flour mixture. This makes your butter pieces nice and small and easy to incorporate quickly without letting the butter get too warm. Using a fork, toss the flour and butter together until all the butter pieces are coated. It should end up sort of sandy and a little clumpy in places. Drizzle a little of the ice water into the flour…just a little at a time. Use a wooden spoon to gently mix in the water. It should start forming a lump that you can press together. You don’t want it too wet, and a little crumbly is good. You should be able to use your hands to press it together and it will hold. Turn the dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap and press into a disk and wrap it tightly. Throw it in your fridge for at least an hour. Or overnight. You can even freeze it. And now you’re ready to make your favorite pie!

If this seems too complicated, or you want a little help making the perfect pie, take my pie class. (Scott says I need to pitch my classes. Consider yourself pitched.)