Homemade Pie Crust

HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE PIE CRUST - FROM SCRATCH

 A FEW SUGGESTIONS THAT HAVE WORKED FOR ME

• weight the flour as accurately as you can
• wrap the dough for your homemade pie crust in plastic wrap so that it doesn't dry out while in the fridge
• keep the ingredients as cold as possible
• leave it in the fridge for an hour because you want the butter as cold as possible
• sprinkle a little flour on the surface as you don't want it to stick
• Cut the butter into cubes or smaller pieces because it makes it easier to work with
• Optional is the egg egg-wash and you can see notes below on this

There is no doubt that buying puff pastry is very convenient but by making your own crust you are not taking away from what store bought pastry offers, instead you are giving yourself and your family a buttery, flaky. fresh and homemade taste that cannot be bought. If you do enjoy being in the kitchen, chances are you've already made your own pastry 100 times and more.  If you are starting out in the kitchen or have simply always bought store bought then you should definitely give this homemade pie crust a try!

• 4 ingredients
• cost effective
• quick
• easy
• open canvas
• creativity
• convenient (you can make it advance)
• freezes very well, I had it in the freezer for 2 months, took it out, thawed and used, so it freezing is a breeze!
• gives you control as to what you add in
• you feel like a kitchen queen - I know I flipping do!

IF YOU ARE GIVING IT AN EGG WASH THIS IS HOW YOU DO IT

You can skip this part BUT it does give the crust a nice golden color.  I have baked them without doing the egg wash as well and it still comes out perfect but with a few more minutes you can do the wash just for extra precaution.

Egg wash always takes me back many moons to my home economics class :)!

• Simply add some milk in a small bowl (you can also use cream or both)
• Add an egg (both white and yellow parts please for the golden color since they both have protein)
• Use a fork and mix/beat it together
• Use a brush to brush the egg & milk mixture on the inside of the crust and don't forget all the way up the sides!

SHOULD YOU USE JUST THE WHITES OR INCLUDE THE YOLK?

Use the entire egg because eggs have protein and fats so they give it a nice glossy brown appeal.

This is the same basic homemade pie crust recipe used in this quiche baked with caramelized red onion, peppers and bacon with a custard filling.

BLIND BAKING

The reason you need to use beans is that this method of 'blind baking' prevents the middle from puffing up and it helps the crust stay nice and flaky.

HOW TO PREVENT YOUR PIE CRUST FROM PUFFING UP!

One method is above. By using beans, rice and baking beads. The other way you can do it is by poking holes into the crust with a fork before it bakes however I don't suggest that for this quiche please!  The filling is a custard filling of egg and cream which means it's runny and more of a liquid and all you need (or don't need rather) is your filling seeping through those holes! So, go with the beans or beads my dearest.

HOMEMADE PIE CRUST

Miranda | My Anosmic Kitchen

A buttery, tender textured homemade pie crust.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Ingredients

  

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• ▢ 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
• ▢ ½ teaspoon salt
• ▢ 130 grams butter cold
• ▢ 1 cup ice water added gradually by the tablespoon

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Instructions 

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• Sift the flour into the food processor bowl.
• Add the salt.
• Cut the butter into cubes/smaller pieces (makes it easier to mix) and add it into the bowl.
• Give the processor a whizz to get the ingredients to mix, a few seconds.
• Add the water gradually until the mix starts to hold together into a ball of dough. Stop and take it out.
• It will be a bit scattered but that's fine, just gather it into one ball and wrap it cling wrap.
• Wrap it in cling wrap. Leave in the fridge for 30 minutes to an hour.
• When you ready to use it, take it out the fridge and place on a lightly floured surface. Sprinkle a little flour onto the work surface and gently roll the dough out more or less the size of the pan it's being baked in.
  
• Roll it out over the rolling pin and lay it over the tin using the rolling pin to do the work for you.
  
• Gently lower the pastry into the pan, press it lightly into the sides all round the pan. Use the rolling pin to trim it off from the top as opposed to cutting and pinching. Simply roll the pin over it and the excess dough will fall off.
  
• Place a piece of baking paper over the crust. Make sure it's big enough to cover the entire crust and the beans don't fall out. (baking beads, rice or dried beans) Bake with the beans inside for 15 minutes on 180 C.Remove from the oven after 15 minutes, carefully remove the hot beans from the crust. Return it to the oven for another 15 minutes to bake, If the top sides are not golden brown, leave it 5 more minutes then remove it.
  
• Once a light golden brown, take it out and begin filling it with your prepared filling.

Notes

The water should be as cold as possible to prevent the butter from melting or you won't get the flaky buttery crust which is the whole idea of this pie.

In this recipe I had a cup fridge water next to me and added it by the tablespoon until the ingredients came together to form a dough.  

If you don't have pie weights or baking beads then raw beans work perfectly. They won't bake and you can use them over and over. The reason you need to use beans is that this method of 'blind baking'prevents the middle from puffing up, getting soggy, the sides from sagging, and it also helps create that nice flakiness in the crust.

Caramelized Veg and Bacon Pie Filling 

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