How to Make Pie Dough by Hand

No freakin' food processor is necessary! With these detailed directions, you can make a flaky, all-butter pie crust by hand and be well on your way to being a pie dough expert.

Ingredients :

• 1 1/4 cups (160g) (160g) universal flour

• 0.5 teaspoons of salt and 0.5 teaspoons of optional sugar

• 1 stick (113g) unflavored, cold butter

• Ice water, 3 to 6 teaspoons

STEPS :

To Make the Dough

     1. Prepare your materials and work area :

Lay out a sheet of plastic wrap that is about a foot and a half long on a spotless countertop.

In a sizable basin, combine the sugar, salt, and flour. Place aside.

Cut the butter into cubes that are 1/4-inch thick, or—my preference—quickly shred it using a box grater's coarse holes. Put the butter in the freezer for 10 minutes if it is getting too soft.

     2. Combine the dough with the butter :

Toss the butter chunks into the dry ingredients in the basin. Smash and pinch the little butter cubes with the tips of your fingers to create pea-sized flakes and crumbles. If the butter starts to feel greasy, place the entire bowl in the freezer for a few minutes.

     3. Include the icy liquid :

Don't knead; instead, toss the contents together like a salad after adding roughly 3 tablespoons of ice water (or another chilled beverage of your choice). A rough, shaggy mass that keeps its shape when you press clumps together will form after more tossing and liquid addition, 1 tablespoon at a time. If you're unclear about when to stop, err on the side of slightly sticky rather than crumbly and dry.

     4. 30 minutes of cooling before rolling :

Create a ball, place on the plastic wrap that has already been cut, and flatten into a disc that is about 6 inches across. Before rolling, wrap the disc tightly and chill it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

To Roll the Dough

     5. Amass your equipment :

It is preferable to do this in a cool kitchen to prevent the dough from crumbling and turning brittle and oily. Consider working early in the morning when it's coldest if your kitchen is warm.

Flour a clean counter or pastry towel liberally. On both sides of the dough and the rolling pin, generously sprinkle flour. Allow the dough to sit out for 15 minutes before spreading it out if it has been chilled for more than a few hours.

     6. Start moving :

Roll the dough disk bit by bit as you roll, starting in the center and rolling first away from you and then toward you. This prevents sticking by a large margin. To keep the dough from sticking, add extra flour to the counter or to the dough as needed.

You'll need a circle of dough at least 14 inches wide to line a 9-inch pie dish.

     7. Roll out the dough and place it in the dish :

Using your fingertips or a clean, dry pastry brush, remove any extra flour from the dough. Roll the rolled-out dough up on the rolling pin and drape it over the dish's center to lift it into the dish. To line the dish's bottom and sides, gently press down on the dough.

     8. Forming the crust :

Remove any extra material from the pan's sides. Leave a little over 1 inch of overlap if you want to make a folded and pinched edge. Trim the dough so the crust is level with the pan rim if it is too fragile to fold without breaking.

The inch of dough that hangs over must be gently folded in order to tuck it under itself and create a crisp, thick edge. The edges can then be fluted and pinched using your thumb and forefinger.

Concerning a picture-perfect crust, don't worry! Once the pie is baked, imperfections frequently vanish.

As with any other pie dough, follow these steps to blind-bake the crust (completely bake the crust without any filling).