Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Crust
- 150 g all-purpose flour
- 1½ g fine sea salt
- 140 g unsalted butter, cold, cut into 1cm cubes
- ml ice water, ice cold
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 1550 kcal
- Protein
- 17 g
- Carbohydrates
- 115 g
- Fat
- 115 g
- Fiber
- 4 g
- Sugar
- 0 g
- Sodium
- 606 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 71 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 33 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 5 g
- Cholesterol
- 301 mg
- Potassium
- 194 mg
- Calcium
- 61 mg
- Iron
- 7.0 mg
- Magnesium
- 37 mg
- Phosphorus
- 196 mg
- Zinc
- 1.2 mg
- Vitamin A
- 958 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 3.3 mg
- Vitamin K
- 10 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.2 mcg
- Thiamin
- 1.20 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.78 mg
- Niacin
- 8.9 mg
- Folate
- 279 mcg
- Water
- 190 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
In a food processor, combine the flour and salt. Pulse briefly to combine.
Add the cold, cubed butter to the food processor. Pulse several times, until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs, with some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining. The butter should be coated in flour.
Gradually add ice water, one tablespoon at a time, pulsing after each addition, until the dough just begins to come together. The dough should be moist but not sticky. It will still look crumbly, but when pinched, it should hold together.
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface. Gather it into a ball, then flatten it into a disk about 2cm thick. Do not overwork the dough.
Wrap the disk tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 2 days before using. This chilling allows the gluten to relax, and the butter to firm up, resulting in a flakier crust.
When ready to use, remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes before rolling.
Chef's Notes
- For the flakiest crust, use high-quality, unsalted butter that is very cold.
- Do not overmix the dough. The goal is to keep the butter in distinct pieces.
- If your kitchen is warm, you may need to chill the dough more often during the process.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 days — Wrapped tightly in plastic wrap.
Freezer: 1 month — Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and then foil. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
Troubleshooting
Crust is tough and not flaky.
Cause:
Fix: Butter was too warm or overmixed. Ensure butter is cold and does not melt before combining with other ingredients. Avoid overmixing the dough. If tough, the crust is still useable.
Prevention:
Crust cracks when rolling.
Cause:
Fix: Dough was too cold or too dry. Let the dough warm up slightly or add a small amount of ice water before rolling.
Prevention:
Crust is shrinking during baking.
Cause:
Fix: Dough was stretched too much during rolling, or not chilled long enough. Make sure to chill the dough for at least an hour before rolling. If the crust has already shrunk, gently push it back into shape with a fork or knife.
Prevention:
Cultural Context
Pie crusts have been a staple in many cultures for centuries, and this recipe is a basic, adaptable template that suits a wide variety of pies. The inclusion of butter highlights a European tradition of rich pastries.
