My Favorite Pie Pastry...Sweet and Savory

Yield: one 10-inch pie or tart shell

This recipe works perfectly whether making a pie with a savory filling for lunch or supper or making a tart with a sweet filling for dessert. Once you've practiced a few times making perfect pastry dough is truly simple and quick (especially when using a food processor and wax paper). For best results, I suggest always giving your pastry shell a partial pre-baking; this helps to ensure a crisp bottom crust even after baking a pie with a loose filling. A totally pre-baked pastry shell is used when preparing a cold fruit tart, where the filling is not baked. This pie dough is extra generous for a number of reasons. Since the crust is usually everyone's favorite part, I make plenty to reinforce the sides so there's more to eat. This is also the way to securely enclose more filling when making a free-form tart. For the most golden crusts, I prefer to use glass pie plates and dark steel tart pans. If using these more heat-retentive materials, reduce the oven temperature in this recipe by 25°F. At the end of this pastry recipe, you'll find the filling ingredients, for the free-form tart featured in the photo.

Special Equipment:

• Food processor or a sturdy hand-held pastry blender
• Electric spice grinder (for savory purposes) or a mortar and pestle
• Wide blending fork (for the hand method)
• Tapered wooden rolling pin
• 10-inch pie plate or tart pan with removable bottom
• Dried beans, rice or commercial pie weights

Ingredients:
• 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 generous tablespoons sugar (use 1 teaspoon sugar for savory purposes, like quiche)
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon crumbled dried thyme or oregano or whole or ground caraway seeds (for savory version only)
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) very cold unsalted butter, cut into small dice
• ¼ cup cold solid vegetable shortening, pulled into small bits
• About 1/3 cup ice cold water, or more, as needed

1) To assemble the dry ingredients: Place flour, salt and sugar in the work bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and process to combine and lighten them. Or, combine in a mixing bowl using a whisk. If making a savory pie, whisk herbs or seeds into the dry ingredients now.

2) To cut in the butter and shortening: Drop diced cold butter and shortening bits into dry ingredients. Pulse machine until mixture resembles coarse meal. If using a hand-held pastry blender, incorporate butter and shortening until mixture reaches the desired consistency.

3) To add liquid, if using a food processor: While machine is running, pour in ice water in a slow steady stream, until the mixture in the bowl just starts to mass together. Stop machine and test several areas by gently pinching a piece of dough with your fingers; it should feel moist, but not wet, and should hold together. Avoid over processing or the pastry will be tough. If dough seems too dry or mealy, drizzle on a little more water to those dry areas. And be sure to check several areas of the dough before adding more liquid.

4) To add liquid, if using the hand method: Drizzle in ice water and toss gently with a wide blending fork. As each section becomes moistened, gently shove that part to one side of the bowl as you continue to moisten the rest. (See preceding step for judging moistness of dough.)

5) To wrap and chill the dough: Lay 2 pieces of plastic wrap in a crisscross on your work surface. Turn out dough onto the center of the plastic. Gather and lift the ends of the plastic and wrap dough. Gently flatten and shape it into a round disc and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

6) To roll out the dough: Remove dough from refrigerator and, if very cold, let sit at room temperature for 5 minutes. If using wax paper, lay two overlapping sheets on your work surface and sprinkle the paper with some all-purpose flour (or just lightly flour your work surface). Lay the dough on the floured surface and sprinkle the dough with more flour. Lay two more sheets of wax roll out the dough 1/8 inch thick and 1 inch larger than the pie plate or tart pan.

7) To line a pie pan: If using paper, Roll up pastry loosely on a lightly floured rolling pin and carefully unroll it onto the pie plate. Turn the overhang of dough underneath itself to reinforce the sides and crimp the rim decoratively. Lightly dock (prick) dough all over the interior including the sides and cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Refrigerate or freeze for 1 hour (or more) before baking.

8) To pre-bake partially pastry the shell: If using a tart pan, place a shallow baking sheet into the center of the oven (this makes it easier to remove the pan from the oven after baking). Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line the interior of the shell with aluminum foil (shiny side down). Fill foil with dried beans or pie weights and bake for 10 minutes (15 minutes, if the pastry was initially frozen). Carefully lift out foil and weights and lightly prick the interior again. Reduce oven temperature to 375°F and bake 8 to 10 minutes more. The crust should appear to be lightly cooked and only just starting to brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

9) To totally pre-bake the pastry shell: If using a tart pan, place a baking sheet into the oven as described in preceding step. Preheat the oven to 425°F (400°F if using dark steel tart pan or glass pie plate). Remove prepared tart shell from refrigerator and fill with foil and weights as described in preceding step. Bake filled tart shell for 15 minutes. Carefully remove foil and weights and reduce oven temperature to 375°F (350°F if in a dark steel or glass pan). Continue to bake shell until golden but not overly dark, 10 to 20 minutes. Remove and cool on a wire rack.

10) To waterproof pastry the shell: Although not essential, to further ensure a crisp bottom crust in both sweet and savory pies, brush the interior of a cooled partially or fully baked pastry shell with a waterproofing mixture, as specified in each recipe. Once the mixture is brushed on and allowed to set, the tart shell is now further protected from moisture and ready to be filled. (Savory tarts and pies can be brushed with some plain egg yolk and sweet ones, with some strained jam that would compliment the fruit filling.)

Instructions for a Ten-Inch Deep-Dish Pie

When making the dough: Instead of using all water, use 1/4 cup ice cold water and 1 egg mixed together. (The egg will tenderize dough while helping to strengthen the higher walls of the shell.)

When rolling and filling a pie pan: Roll out dough into a circle 1/8 inch thick and 2 to 2 1/2 inches larger than the pan. Turn any excess dough behind, pressing gently to reinforce the sides. Crimp the exposed top edge decoratively by pushing it out and pinching it with your thumbs and forefingers.

Instructions for Double-Crust Pies or Tarts

When making the dough: Prepare 2 separate batches of Favorite Pie Pastry and in each batch, reduce the amount of ice cold water to 1/4 cup and mix in 1 egg. Wrap each batch and refrigerate.

To roll the top crust: Line a plate and a shallow baking sheet with waxed paper. Roll out the remaining piece of dough in the same way as the bottom and cut out a round of dough that is 2 inches larger than the pan. Cut decorative vents out of the center of the round and place on the waxed-paper-lined plate. Carefully transfer pastry dough to the waxed-paper-lined baking sheet, cover and refrigerate. Cut out more decorative shapes from any scraps, place on plate, cover and refrigerate.

Follow both, pre-baking baking and waterproofing instructions for the bottom crust as prescribed in your individual recipe.

Timing is Everything
• All variations of this pastry can be made and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or wrapped in plastic wrap, then aluminum foil, sealed in a heavy-duty freezer bag and frozen for 2 months. Make sure to label and date the package before freezing.
• The pastry can be rolled and placed in the pie or tart pan 1 week ahead. Cover gently but efficiently with plastic wrap and slip pan into a jumbo freezer bag. Seal. Do not thaw before pre-baking.