Foolproof Pie Dough by Cook’s Illustrated’s
When we talked to Cook's Illustrated publisher Chris Kimball about the November 2007 issue of the magazine, we asked what recipes really stood out in it this year. This pie crust is one of them, he said. "It's a brilliant recipe," Kimball said. "The secret ingredient in it? Vodka."
Servings: 2 single-pie crusts or one double-pie crust
Ingredients
- 2½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour (12½ oz)
- ½ tsp koshering salt (1 tsp table salt, per the original)
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1½ sticks unsalted butter (12 oz) cold, cut into ¼-inch slices
- ½ cup vegetable shortening cold, cut into 4 pieces
- ¼ cup vodka cold
- ¼ cup water cold
Instructions
- Process ⅔rds of the flour, and all the salt, and sugar in a food processor until combined, about 2 one-second pulses.Add butter and shortening and process until homogeneous dough just starts to collect in uneven clumps, about 15 seconds (dough will resemble cottage cheese curds and there should be no uncoated flour). Scrape bowl with a rubber spatula and redistribute dough evenly around processor blade.Add remaining flour and pulse until mixture is evenly distributed around bowl and mass of dough has been broken up, 4 to 6 quick pulses.Empty mixture into a medium bowl.
- Sprinkle vodka and water over the mixture.With a rubber spatula, use a folding motion to mix, pressing down on dough until dough is slightly tacky and sticks together.Divide dough into two even balls and flatten each into a 4-inch disk. Wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes or up to 2 days.