Butter And Vodka Pie Crust

In a ziplock bag, add the flour, cornstarch, sugar, and salt.  Shake the bag to combine fully. Place the bag into the freezer for two hours or overnight.  This is an optional step but helps to keep the crust very flaky.

Meanwhile, grate the frozen butter, using a box grater, onto a small baking pan lined with parchment paper.  Place the baking sheet into the freezer for at least 30 minutes.

In the bowl of a food processor, place the cold flour mixture and the frozen, grated butter.  Pulse the flour and the butter until it looks like coarse crumbs. This will only take a few pulses.  Don’t overmix the dough. If you don’t have a food processor, cut the butter into the flour using a pastry blender, 2 forks, or 2 knives.  Try not to use your fingers, you don’t want to melt the butter.

While pulsing the food processor, slowly pour the vodka through the feed tube until it is just beginning to combine.

Open the food processor and check the dough.  Grab a bit of the dough between your fingers, if it holds together, it’s ready.  If it’s dry, slowly add the ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time. Test the dough after each addition.  Don’t add too much water. The dough should come together easily, without packing it. Don’t worry if you see bits of butter or even flour.  This is fine.

Turn the dough out onto a sheet of plastic wrap.  Form the dough into two disks. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap.  Chill the dough for at least 2 hours before rolling it out.

To Roll Out The Dough:

Flour your rolling pin and the surface you will be rolling the crust on.

Place the dough disk onto the floured surface.  Turn the disk to lightly coat both sides with flour.

Roll out the dough, rotating the dough after each roll.  Roll away from you and back. Then rotate the disk.  

Flip the disk over, carefully, to create a circle shape.  If the dough begins to feel sticky, dust with flour.

Roll the dough to ¼-inch thickness.  Roll the dough around the rolling pin and place it over your pie plate.  Unroll the dough into the pie plate.

Press the dough into the bottom and sides of the plate.  Use a knife or scissors to trim any extra dough from the edge, leaving a ½-inch border.  Fold the edge of the dough underneath itself to create a border.

Crimp the edges by pressing the dough between your thumb and forefinger.  Rotate the pie plate until the pattern is completed along the entire edge.  

Place the pie plate into the freezer to chill the dough for 30 minutes until ready to bake.

To blind bake a crust:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Line the chilled pie crust with parchment paper.  Fill the crust with pie weights, dried beans, even sugar.  Make sure the weight is evenly distributed.

Bake until the edges are starting to brown, about 15-16 minutes.  Carefully remove the crust from the oven and lift the parchment paper and weights out of the crust.

Using a fork, prick holes all around the bottom of the crust.  Return the pie crust to the oven for another 7 – 8 minutes.

Finish your pie according to your pie recipe directions.