Maggie’s Pie Dough
INGREDIENTS
3 cups flour (all purpose), plus some extra for rolling out
1 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
12 Tbsp butter (1 ½ sticks) cold from the fridge for food processor method, from the freezer if using box grater method
⅓ cup shortening
½ cup of water with a few ice cubes in it
TOOLS & EQUIPMENT
Food processor or box grater
Large bowl
Measuring cups and spoons
Rubber spatula
A spray bottle (not necessary, but nice to have!)
FOOD PROCESSOR METHOD
Combine the 3 cups of flour, 1 Tablespoon of sugar, and 1 teaspoon of salt in the bowl of your food processor. Pulse a couple of times to combine.
Cut the 12 Tbsp of butter and ⅓ cup of shortening into small chunks (about half an inch) and add them to the food processor. Pulse in short bursts until the largest visible pieces of butter are about the size of peas. Begin drizzling in water while pulsing the food processor, until the dough begins to clump up.
Dump the whole contents of the food processor onto a clean counter. Carefully remove the blade. Begin to press the dry bits together to form a cohesive ball of dough. If the dough is very dry and not coming together, add a little more water (this is where the spray bottle comes in handy!). Fold and knead the dough just a few times, there should still be some visible chunks of butter in the dough. You don’t want to work it too much, or let it get too warm because then the butter will melt. Divide the dough in half, and form each half into a flat disc. Wrap the two discs in plastic wrap or reusable wax food wraps, and put in the fridge to rest for at least half an hour, or up to 24 hours. If you are making your dough more than 24 hours in advance, wrap it very well and store it in a plastic storage bag in the freezer, then move it to the fridge the night before you want to use it.
BOX GRATER METHOD
At least 4 hours before you want to make your pie dough, put your butter in the freezer.
Combine the 3 cups of flour, 1 Tablespoon of sugar, and 1 teaspoon of salt in a large mixing bowl and stir to combine. Add the ⅓ cup of shortening cut into small chunks (about half an inch).
Take the butter from the freezer and carefully grate it using the large holes of a box grater. If the butter starts to warm up, just stick it back in the freezer for a few minutes. Toss your grated butter with the shortening and dry ingredients. Once the flour mixture has coated all the butter bits, begin to drizzle in water a few tablespoons at a time, while mixing the dough with your hands or a rubber spatula. When you’ve added most of the water, pick up a handful of dough and squeeze it, it should hold together in your hand. If it crumbles easily, keep adding water until it holds together when you squeeze it. Dump the dough out onto your counter and fold and knead the dough just a few times. You don’t want to work it too much, or let it get too warm because then the butter will melt. If the dough is very dry and not coming together, add a little more water (this is where the spray bottle comes in handy!). Divide the dough in half, and form each half into a flat disc. Wrap the two discs in plastic wrap or reusable wax food wraps, and put in the fridge to rest for at least half an hour, or up to 24 hours. If you are making your dough more than 24 hours in advance, wrap it very well and store it in a plastic storage bag in the freezer, then move it to the fridge the night before you want to use it.
Register to attend the next Level Up event on June 26 | Pie Demo: Turning Local Ingredients into Blue Ribbon Pies and order your DC State Fair apron from the store.