Pre-Baked Pie Crust

Yield two 8" pie crusts

Ingredients to make pastry:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 315 g

1 teaspoons salt, Kosher

1 Tablespoon sugar

1 cup unsalted butter

1/2 cup ice water measured after it is chilled without the ice

extra flour, for rolling the dough

Method for the pastry:

1. Place flour, salt, and sugar in a large bowl, mix well.

2. Cut the cold butter up into 1/4 inch cubes.

3. Using your fingers or a pastry cutter, cut or press between your fingers until the flour is incorporated into the butter in pea size pieces.

4. Add ice water, if you make this dough in the summer it will require less water (about 1/8 cup less) due to the humidity. When you add the ice water gently mix it into the butter/flour mixture with your hands until a dough is formed. Pie dough will not form a fluffy dough like cookie dough. You will need to press it into a ball. Do not overwork the pastry or you will have a tough pastry.

5. Using a scale or your eyes divide the pastry into 2 equal pieces.

6. Wrap each piece in plastic wrap, flattening the dough into a disk.

7. Allow dough to rest for 30 minutes in the refrigerator. 

8. Roll the dough out and using a 8"~2" high tart pan with a removable bottom or pie pan, that is greased and floured. Press the dough into the pan. Make sure the sides are built up a bit over the sides of the tart pan.

9. Place the tart pan in the fridge fro 20 minutes until chilled, this keeps the crust from shrinking when it is baked. Preheat the oven to 375ºF bake.

10.. This recipe requires that you prebake the crust. Remove the tart pan and crust from the refrigerator and line the dough with parchment paper. Add pie crust weights or rice to the parchment paper to weigh the dough down as it bakes. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the parchment paper and weights. Continue baking until the crust looks dry and is beginning to brown.

11. Your pie crust is now Pre-baked and ready to fill.