Pie and Pastry Dough

Pie/Pastry Dough*
(makes enough for a 9-inch pie crust)

1/3 cup sugar
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
7 tablespoons cold butter, diced
1 to 2 tablespoons cold milk

Food Processor Method:

Combine sugar, flour, and salt in the processor. Add the butter and process in short pulses, until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add a tablespoon of milk and process again, in short pulses, until the milk is absorbed. The dough should still be crumbly, but it should clump if you gently squeeze a handful in your hand. If it doesn't add more milk, a teaspoon at a time, and give the dough a few more pulses until it reaches the desired consistency.

If working by hand:

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the sugar, flour and salt. Add the butter and rub it into the dry ingredients with the tips of your fingers or a wire pastry blender, until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add a tablespoon of milk and blend it in, handling the dough as lightly as you can. The dough should still be crumbly, but it should clump if you gently squeeze a handful in your hand. If it doesn't add more milk, a teaspoon at a time, and give the dough a few more pulses until it reaches the desired consistency.

Place the dough on a lightly floured surface.

Roll it out to a thickness of about 1/8th of an inch and about 12 inches in diameter.

Carefully lift it (or roll in over your rolling pin) and transfer it to a 9" pie dish.

Gently press down to conform to the pie dish.

Crimp the edges.

Either prebake the crust, if the recipe so indicates, or directly fill.

Bake according to recipe instructions.

*Recipe adapted from Chocolate and Zucchini: Daily Adventures in a Parisian Kitchen.