This amount makes 2 9-inch pie crusts. Or a deep dish 10” with plenty left over. Or one crust with plenty for lattice top.
2 1/2 c all-purpose flour
1 1/2 T sugar
1/2 t salt
1 c (1/2 lb) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1” cubes
2/3 c ice water
1 T freshly squeezed lemon juice
Combine flour, salt, sugar.
Cut the butter into the flour mixture using a pastry blender, food processor or electric mixer until the mixture becomes coarse and crumbly; the butter should be about the size of peas
(I like to put this bowl into the fridge for 1/2 hour or so so it is all cold for the next step.)
Stir the ice water and lemon juice together and drizzle over the flour mixture while tossing with a fork. Distribute the liquid evenly and continue until it starts to hold together. The mixture will be shaggy but should hold together when pressed between your palms. If not, add a little more ice water. The trick is to use as little water as possible while still enabling the dough to roll out. (Less water-to-butter ratio, more better!)
If you didn’t chill the pastry before, you might want to chill it now before rolling. Divide the dough in half (if you’re doing 2 crusts), make them into disks 1” thick (for easier rolling later), wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1/2 hour or so. Or until tomorrow! Let the pastry sit out for a bit before rolling if it was refrigerated several hours.
When rolling: Use as little flour and handle as little as possible. Flip over often so it doesn’t stick. Crust should be 2” larger diameter than the pie plate. Roll the finished crust around your rolling pin, and unroll into the pan. Roll the overhanging crust with your fingers to make a rim on the edge of the plate, removing extra and patching places that are sparse. Use a little water to ‘glue’ patches in and a little flour to ‘unstick’ wet places. Crimp it nicely and you are done!
To do a lattice top, roll second pastry piece into a rectangle and cut strips. Before you roll and crimp the rim as above, attach a few strips down one side of the crust using a drop of water. Attach a few more strips the same way along the top or bottom of the crust and begin to weave, strip by strip across the pie. When done, break off any extra of the strips and roll the ends into the rolled rim as above.
