Martha Stewarts Pate Brisee Basic Pie Crust Recipes

ESSENTIAL PATE BRISEE

Steps:

• Pulse flour and salt in a food processor to combine. Add butter; pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some larger pieces remaining. Evenly drizzle 1/4 cup ice water over mixture. Pulse until dough is crumbly but holds together when squeezed. If dough is too dry, add up to 1/4 cup more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and pulse to combine.
• Turn out dough onto a floured surface and divide dough in half, then shape each half into a disk. Wrap each half in plastic and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour or up to 1 day. (Dough can be frozen up to 1 month; thaw overnight in refrigerator before using.)

TEST KITCHEN'S FAVORITE PATE BRISEE

Steps:

• Pulse flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor until combined. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal with some pea-size pieces remaining. Drizzle 5 tablespoons water over mixture; pulse several times to combine. Add more water,1 tablespoon at a time, and pulse until mixture holds together when pinched.
• For a 9-inch pie, shape dough into two disks and wrap each in plastic. For a slab pie, shape dough into a rectangle and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 1 day, or freeze up to 3 months; thaw overnight in refrigerator before using.

MARTHA STEWART'S PATE BRISEE -- BASIC PIE CRUST

Steps:

• Secrets to a good pie crust: chilled ingredients and chilled dough. Margarine or shortening can be used instead of butter (but butter is my favorite!).
• Put flour, salt and sugar in a bowl, blender or food processor. Add the pieces of butter and process approximately 10 seconds or until it resembles "coarse meal.".
• Add ice water drop by drop while machine is running (or you are mixing)--- just until dough holds together without being wet or sticky. Do not mix longer than 30 seconds.
• Roll dough out on a piece of plastic wrap. Press down slightly. Chill for at least one hour.

PERFECT PIE CRUST

Steps:

• Cut each stick of butter into 8 pieces, and refrigerate until needed. Place the flour, salt, and sugar in a large mixing bowl, and mix to combine.
• Add the chilled butter. Using a pastry blender, incorporate the butter into the flour mixture; the mixture should resemble coarse meal with small pieces of butter, the size of small peas, remaining visible.
• Drizzle 2 tablespoons ice water over the flour-butter mixture, and blend. Repeat with an additional 2 tablespoons water. At this point, you may have to add more water: When a handful of dough squeezed together just holds its shape, you've added enough; if the dough crumbles, continue incorporating water, 1 tablespoon at a time, checking the consistency after each additional tablespoon.
• Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface. Divide into two equal pieces, and place on two separate sheets of plastic wrap. Flatten, and form two disks. Wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
• Lightly dust a clean, dry work surface with flour. Place the chilled dough in the center of the work surface, and dust the dough as well as the rolling pin with flour. Position the rolling pin on the center of the disk, and begin rolling the dough away from you. Give the disk a quarter turn, and roll again. Continue turning and rolling until you have an even 1/8-inch thickness. Turning the dough as you roll will prevent it from sticking to the work surface. A dry pastry brush is handy to remove any excess flour during and after the rolling process.
• Lightly butter the pie plate. To minimize stretching when moving the dough, roll it around the pin, lift up, and unroll over the buttered pie plate. Using your fingers, gently pat the dough into place. Trim any excess dough with a paring knife or kitchen shears, leaving a 1-inch overhang; then fold dough under to reinforce the edge.

BASIC PIE CRUST

Steps:

• In a food processor, briefly pulse flour, salt, and sugar. Add butter; pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, with a few pea-size pieces of butter remaining. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons ice water. Pulse until dough is crumbly but holds together when squeezed (if necessary, add up to 2 tablespoons water, 1 tablespoon at a time). Dont overmix.
• Turn dough out onto a large piece of plastic wrap. Fold plastic over dough; press to shape into a 1-inch-thick disk. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour (or up to 3 days).
• On a floured piece of parchment paper, roll dough to a 14-inch round with a floured rolling pin. Wrap dough around rolling pin, discarding paper; unroll over a 9-inch pie plate (opposite). Gently fit into bottom and up sides of plate (do not stretch dough).
• Using kitchen shears, trim dough to a 1-inch overhang. Fold under itself to form a rim, and press to seal. Using thumb and forefinger, crimp rim of crust. Refrigerate until ready to use, up to 1 day.

DEEP-DISH PATE BRISEE

Steps:

• In a food processor, pulse together flour, salt, and sugar to combine. Add butter, and process until mixture resembles coarse meal, about 10 seconds. With machine running, add 1/2 cup ice water in a slow, steady stream through the feed tube, just until dough holds together. Test dough by pinching a small amount; if it is still crumbly, add up to 1/4 cup more ice water, a little at a time. Do not process more than 30 seconds.
• Turn out dough onto a clean work surface, and divide into 3 equal pieces. Place each piece on plastic wrap, and flatten into a disk; wrap tightly. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before using.

MARTHA STEWARTS FOOLPROOF PIE CRUST

Steps:

• Put the flour, salt and sugar into a food processor and pulse once or twice.
• Add the butter and process until the mixture looks grainy.
• Then slowly, while pulsing, add the water until you can form the dough by pressing it between your fingers.
• Decant the loose dough onto a piece of plastic wrap.
• Using the wrap, fold the loose dough towards the middle and press with the back of your hands to form dough.
• Split into two pieces and wrap each and chill for at least 4 hours before using.
• Dough can be made ahead for up to one week.

BUTTERY PATE BRISEE

Steps:

• Pulse flour, sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt in a food processor until combined. Add butter, and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, about 10 seconds. Drizzle 1/4 cup ice water evenly over mixture. Pulse until mixture holds together when pressed between 2 fingers (dough should not be wet or sticky). If dough is too dry, add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and pulse.
• Shape dough into 2 disks, and wrap each in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour.

PATE BRISEE TO MAKE ONE DOUBLE-CRUST 10-INCH PIE OR 12 HAND PIES

Steps:

• In the bowl of a food processor, combine flour, sugar, and salt; pulse to combine. Add butter, and pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some larger pieces remaining, about 10 seconds. (To mix by hand, combine dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl, then cut in butter with a pastry blender.)
• With the machine running, add ice water through the feed tube in a slow, steady stream, just until dough holds together without being wet or sticky. Do not process more than 30 seconds. Test by squeezing a small amount of the dough together; if it is still too crumbly, add a bit more water, 1 tablespoon at a time.
• Turn out dough onto a clean work surface. Divide in half, and place each half on a piece of plastic wrap. Shape into flattened rectangles. Wrap in plastic, and refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight.

FLAKY PATE BRISEE

Steps:

• Pulse flour and salt in a food processor. Add butter, and pulse until mixture forms coarse crums with some larger pieces remaining, about 10 seconds.
• With machine running, add ice water in a slow, steady stream just until dough holds together without being wet or sticky, no longer than 30 seconds.
• Divide dough in half, and shape into disks. Wrap in plastic; refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight. Dough can be frozen up to 1 month; thaw in the refrigerator overnight before using.

VERSATILE PATE BRISEE

Steps:

• Pulse flour, sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt in a food processor until combined. Add butter, and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, about 10 seconds. Drizzle 1/4 cup ice water evenly over mixture. Pulse until mixture holds together when pressed between 2 fingers (dough should not be wet or sticky). If dough is too dry, add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and pulse.
• Shape dough into 1 large disk or 2 small disks, and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour. (Dough can be refrigerated overnight or frozen for up to 3 months. Let chilled dough stand for 10 minutes and frozen dough thaw before using.)

EASY PIE CRUST

Steps:

• To make the dough for the pie crust, mix 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour and 1 teaspoon each salt and sugar in a medium-size bowl. Cut 2 sticks chilled unsalted butter into pieces. With a pastry blender, cut in butter, working until mixture resembles coarse meal.
• Add 4 tablespoons ice water; work with hands until dough comes together. If dough is still crumbly, add more ice water a tablespoon at a time (up to 4 more tablespoons). Do not overwork.
• Divide dough in half, and flatten halves into disks. Wrap disks separately in plastic; refrigerate at least 1 hour.
• To form the pie shell, roll the dough on a floured surface into a 14-inch round. Wrap around rolling pin and carefully unroll over a 9-inch pie plate.
• Fit gently into bottom and side of plate. Use kitchen shears to trim dough to a 1-inch overhang; fold under, and seal to form a rim.
• Crimp rim with fingertips and knuckle. Repeat with remaining dough; wrap each with plastic, stack, and freeze.

PATE BRISEE FOR SOUR-CHERRY PIE

Steps:

• Pulse flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor to combine. Add butter, and process until mixture resembles coarse meal, about 10 seconds. With machine running, add ice water in a slow, steady stream through the feed tube until dough just holds together (no longer than 30 seconds).
• Divide dough in half, and shape into disks. Wrap each in plastic. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour (or up to 2 days).

MARTHA'S PERFECT PIE CRUST

Steps:

• Hand Method: In a large bowl, sift the flour and salt. Cut the chilled butter and margarine into 1-tablespoon bits and add to the flour. With a pastry cutter, work flour and shortening together until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the ice water little by little pressing the pastry together into a ball. Wrap and chill for at least 1 hour.
• It is very important to work the pastry as little as possible. Don't overhandle. A secret to light, flaky pastry is to keep the mixture cool, add as little water as possible, and mix only as much as necessary.
• Food Processor Method: Put flour and salt in bowl of machine. Cut butter and margarine into flour. Process a few seconds until mixture resembles coarse meal. Drop by drop add the water, processing very briefly. The whole process would take 20 to 30 seconds. Wrap and chill the pastry for at least 1 hour.
• If pastry has been chilled for a long time, let it sit at room temperature for at least 15 minutes before rolling.
• Lightly flour a pastry board, marble counter, or kitchen counter. Divide the pastry in half. Pat each piece of pastry into a flat round. Lightly flour the rolling pin. Roll pastry in one direction only, turning pastry continually to prevent it from sticking to the surface.
• Using pie plate as a guide, measure rolled-out pastry -- it should be slightly larger than the pie plate and 1-8-inch thick. Fold rolled pastry circle in half so you can lift it more easily. Unfold, gently fitting the pastry into the pie plate, allowing pastry to hang evenly over the edge. Do not trim the pastry yet.
• Fill the pie with filling. Then roll out the second crust in the same manner as for the bottom. Fold circle in half and with a sharp, pointed knife cut little vents in a decorative pattern. Place folded pastry on one half the pie. Unfold, pressing top and bottom pastry together. Trim edges with scissors, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang. Fold bottom pastry overhang over top and press firmly to seal. Crimp rim, using fingers or the tines of a fork.

PATE BRISEE FOR SPICED APPLE PIE

Steps:

• Pulse flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor. Add butter, and pulse until coarse crumbs form, about 10 seconds.
• With machine running, add ice water in a slow, steady stream just until dough holds together and is not wet or sticky, no longer than 30 seconds.
• Divide dough into two portions, and shape each into a disk. Wrap in plastic; refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight.

PATE BRISEE FOR PLUM CRUMB PIE

Steps:

• Put flour, salt, and sugar in bowl of a food processor, and pulse to combine. Add butter, and process for about 10 seconds, or just until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
• Add ice water, tablespoon by tablespoon (1/4 to 1/2 cup), through the feed tube with machine running, just until the dough holds together without being wet or sticky; do not process more than 30 seconds. Test the dough at this point by squeezing a small amount together. If it is crumbly, add a bit more water.
• Divide dough in half, and wrap each half in plastic wrap, using a rolling pin to flatten into a disk. Chill until needed. Wrapped in plastic, dough can be frozen for several weeks before using.

PATE BRISEE FOR TRADITIONAL PUMPKIN PIE

Steps:

• Pulse flour and salt in a food processor until combined. Add butter, and process until mixture resembles coarse meal, about 10 seconds. With machine running, add ice water in a slow, steady stream until mixture just begins to hold together.
• Shape dough into a disk, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 3 days (or freeze for up to 1 month; thaw in refrigerator before using).