Master Recipe Roll-Out Dough-Kate McDermott
2 1/2 cups (363g) all-purpose flour
1 cup (224 g) chilled fat of your choice, cut into tablespoon-size pieces (butter, lard, leaf lard)
1 tablespoon granulated sugar (optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (120ml) ice water plus 1-2 tablespoons (15-30 ml) more as needed.
- Make sure all the ingredients are chilled.
- Put all ingredients but the ice water in a large bowl.
- With clean hands, quickly smoosh the mixture together, or use a single blade mezzaluna or pastry blender with an up and down motion, until the ingredients look like cracker crumbs with lumps the size of peas an almonds. These lumps will make your curst flaky. Don't coat all the flour with fat. You should still see some white floury places in the bowl when you are finished. Work quickly so that the dough still feels chilly when you are done.
- Sprinkle 5 to 6 tablespoons of the ice water over the mixture, fluffing and tossing lightly with a fork as you do.
- Sprinkle over more water as needed, a tablespoon at a time, and fluff with a fork after each addition until it holds together. When the dough looks shaggy in the bowl, you are getting close. give some of your dough a firm handshake and see if it holds together. If it does, go on to step 6. If it doesn't, add a bit more water if needed for the dough to come together. the dough should feel moist without feeling tacky.
- Form and pat the dough into a big ball. If it feels a little dry on the outside, dip your fingers into some ice water and pat them on the outside of the dough in a few places. Don't get it so we that it is sticky. The dough should feel like cool clay and firm yet pliable as when patting a baby's bottom.
- Divide the dough in half and make two chubby disks about 5 inches across.
- Wrap the discs separately in plastic wrap and chill for a minimum of 20 minutes and up to three days.
“Master Recipe Roll-Out Dough" from Pie Camp: The Skills You Need to Make Any Pie You Want by Kate McDermott, copyright © 2020. Reproduced with permission of The Countryman Press/W.W. Norton.
Liz's notes:
You can freeze your dough for up to 6 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before using. I have thawed on the counter as well-just be sure the dough is well chilled before rolling out.
- Bring out your refrigerated dough disks and let them sit until they feel slightly soft to touch.
- Place a rolling mat or piece of parchment paper on your counter, or use a light dusting of flour on the area you will be rolling out your dough. Keep more flour handy for dusting while you roll out your dough.
- Always roll the dough out from the center of the disk. Lift and turn your disc as you work and lightly flour if you need. Roll out your disk until the circle of dough is 2-inches larger than the diameter of the top of your pie pan. Turn your pan over onto the rolled out dough and measure to be certain.
- To place the dough into your pie pan, drape the dough over your rolling pin and gently lift and place the pin at the half-way mark of the pie pan. Gently unroll and carefully settle the dough into the pan. Trim to leave 1-inch overhang of dough. Fill and bake according to your recipe.
Save all of your dough scraps to make some sweet or savory dough treats. I freeze all my dough trimmings and bake these yummy treats for my family. Go here for some ideas: Food52