American Pie Dough for Prebaked Pie Shell

For one 9-inch pie with single crust

NOTE: Use this recipe for custard, pumpkin, pecan, cream, and lemon meringue pies. See figures 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 for more information on rolling out the dough and figures 16, 17, 18 and 19 for information on finishing the edge.

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Pulse flour, salt, and sugar in food processor fitted with steel blade. Scatter butter pieces over flour mixture, tossing to coat with flour. Cut butter into flour with five 1-second pulses. Add shortening and continue cutting in until flour is pale yellow and resembles coarse cornmeal, with butter bits no larger than small peas, about four more 1-second pulses. Turn mixture into medium bowl.

2. Sprinkle 4 tablespoons ice water over mixture. With blade of rubber spatula, use folding motion to mix. Press down on mixture with broad side of spatula until dough sticks together, adding up to 1 tablespoon more ice water if it will not come together. Shape dough into ball, squeezing two or three times with hands until cohesive, then flatten into 4-inch-wide disk. Dust lightly with flour, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate at least 30 minutes, or up to 2 days, before rolling.

3. Remove dough from refrigerator; let stand at room temperature to soften slightly, about 10 minutes if dough has chilled for 30 minutes, about 20 minutes if it has chilled overnight. (The dough should be pliable. Use your hands to squeeze the dough; if you can squeeze it without applying too much pressure, it is ready to roll.) Roll dough on lightly floured work surface to a 12-inch disk about ¹/₃ inch thick. Fold dough in quarters, then place dough point in center of pie pan. Unfold dough.

4. Working around circumference of pan, press dough carefully into pan by gently lifting dough edges with one hand while pressing around pan bottom with other hand. Trim edge to ¹/₂ inch beyond pan lip. Tuck this rim of dough underneath itself so that folded edge is about ¹/₄ inch beyond pan lip; flute dough in your own fashion. Refrigerate pie shell for 40 minutes and then freeze for 20 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Press doubled 12-inch square of aluminum foil inside dough shell; evenly distribute 1 cup or 12 ounces ceramic or metal pie weights over foil. Bake, leaving foil and weights in place until dough dries out, about 17 minutes. Carefully remove foil and weights by gathering sides of foil and pulling up and out. For partially baked crust, continue baking until light golden brown, about 9 minutes more; for fully baked crust, continue baking until deep golden brown, about 15 minutes more. Transfer to wire rack to cool as directed in individual recipes.

VARIATION:

Prebaked Pie Dough Coated with Graham Cracker Crumbs

Custard fillings, such as that used in lemon meringue pie and cream pies, are tough on crisp crusts. After much experimentation, we found that rolling out the pie dough in graham cracker crumbs promotes browning and crisps the crust. It also adds a wonderful graham flavor that complements the lemon and cream pie fillings without masking the character of the dough itself.

Follow recipe for American Pie Dough for Prebaked Pie Shell, sprinkling work surface with 2 tablespoons graham cracker crumbs when rolling out dough. Sprinkle more crumbs over dough itself. Continue sprinkling additional crumbs underneath and on top of dough as it is rolled, making sure to coat dough heavily with crumbs. You will use a total of about ¹/₂ cup crumbs. Fit graham cracker–coated dough into pie plate as directed and bake fully.

ROLLING OUT PIE DOUGH

No matter what kind of pie crust you are making (single, double, or lattice top), follow figures 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 before proceeding to specific directions on that type of crust.