Sweet Buttery Pie Crust

Sweet Buttery Pie Crust

Ingredients:

8 oz. (1 cup/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter
2 cups of all-purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup cold water

Directions:

Cut the butter into 1/2 inch cubes.

Put the flour, sugar and salt into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the plastic blade.
Add the butter.

Pulse the mixture until the mixture is crumbly and the larger pieces of butter are no larger than a pea (about 1/4 inch). 

Pulsing as you add, drizzle in the cold water and continue to pulse until it pulls together loosely. 

 If you don't have a food processor, don't be discouraged, you can still cut in the butter the old fashioned way and drizzle in the water while you stir.


Lightly flour your work surface and rolling pin.  Divide the dough into halves.  Taking one half, shape it into a ball and pat it into about 1/2 inch thick.  Sprinkle flour over the stop.
Using your rolling pin starting in the center, working outward, roll the dough to about 1/4 inch thickness.

Move the disk to the side and reflour your worksurface.
Turn the disk of dough over, dust lightly with flour and continue rolling to about 12 inches in diameter.
Turn the dough frequently a quarter of a turn making sure it isn't sticking to the work surface.  Reflour as necessary to prevent sticking.

Fold the dough in half and gently lay it in your pie pan and unfold.  Fix any cracks that may occur.  Trim the edge so you have about 1/2 inch around the edge of the pan.

Roll the remaining dough ball out in the same manner.
You can use the disk of pastry as the cover for your pie filling or you can use a pastry cutter or a knife, cut strips of dough about 1/2 inch wide to prepare for making the lattice.



If you have left over pie crust dough, like I usually do, make these little Pie Crust Bites with cinnamon and sugar.  It's easy. 

Just roll out the remaining dough and spread with soften butter, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and roll up and slice. 

Put little rolls on a baking pan and bake along with your pie. Check them often and when the are golden, remove them from the oven. They will disappear quick as a flash!

.....and that my friends, is What's Cooking at Cathy's ~ Enjoy!