Pastry Crust
My pastry crust is a standard crust that works beautifully each time. The recipe calls for frozen sticks of butter. Freezing the butter is an important step, and only takes minutes if you forget to freezer your butter in advance. When incorporating the butter into the flour, work quickly as the heat from your fingers will melt the butter. The prepared crust freezes beautifully and has multiple uses. Try my pastry crust with blueberry cobbler, Earl Grey custard pie, lemon meringue pie, chorizo and green onion tart, tomato galette, summer blueberry galette, quiche, potpie, rustic tarts, empanadas and hand pies.
Pastry Crust
Servings: 2 crusts
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface
1 teaspoons kosher salt
1 cup (2 sticks) chilled or frozen, unsalted butter
½ cup ice water
1 Tablespoon white or apple cider vinegar
1. In a large bowl, whisk the flour and 1 teaspoon salt together. Grate the butter into the bowl, and toss to coat with the flour.
2. Stir the ice water and vinegar together, and sprinkle over the flour/butter mixture. Using your hands, combine the mixture until it comes together in pebble size pieces. Some of the flour will not be incorporated. Using your hands, rub while flattening the butter and the loose flour between your fingertips. Continue this motion until all the flour is incorporated. If necessary, add 1 Tablespoon of water to incorporate the flour.
3. Gather the dough together and place on a large piece of plastic wrap. Press into a disc and cover with the plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 hour, and up to 2 days. Freeze for up to 1 month.
4. The prepared crust freezes beautifully and has multiple uses. Try my pastry crust with blueberry cobbler, chorizo and green onion tart, quiche, potpie, rustic tarts, empanadas and hand pies.
