3-2-1 dough, (aka pie dough)

[jeff]

3-2-1!

3 parts flour
2 parts fat
1 part water

what could be easier to remember?

For a single layer pie crust (bottom only)
If you would like a enclosed pie, double this recipe or do any amount for that matter. just remember 3-2-1 is the key.

6 oz AP Flour(all purpose flour)
3 oz butter (chilled) and cut into 1/2 TBS slices.
1 oz lard or shortening (chilled)
2 oz water (chilled) in a spray bottle. ( I keep one in the fridge with filtered water. don't you?)
bag of pie weights or black beans (if pre-baking pie crust AKA blind baking)

Whenever baking, make sure you weigh your ingredients. $9.99 is about the cost of a cheap scale. buy one!

Place your flour in a bowl.
take your butter and using your finger tips, mush it into the flour. http://www.handsonkitchen.com/forum/...0;id=214;image
like so.

The idea is to leave the flour chunky, you do not want to full incorporate the butter and flour, try to keep it somewhat chunky.
same goes for when adding the lard/shortening also use your finger tips and work it into the flour leaving it flaky.

Using the spray bottle add about 1 oz of water, then mix lightly mix the dough some more, then add the other 1 oz. and finish mixing it.
how do you know when you have 2 oz worth of water in the dough? you just do, this takes practice. The dough should be on the dry side, still flaky yet somewhat moist.

Take your dough and wrap it up, place this in your fridge for 30 minutes to let the flour rest and absorb as much water as it can.
This will make the dough a little easier to work with when rolling it out.

Once your dough is rolled out, place it into your pie pan, then using a scape of dough as a tool, softly press the dough into the corners of the pie pan (using the scrap of dough rather then your fingers, this will help keep things even and wont leave finger marks.)

Now you're ready to blind bake it or fill it with goodies (depending on type of pie)

blind baking is pre cooking the pie shell. To do this preheat the oven to 400o. Using a fork, dock the bottom of the pie shell (dock = poking holes in the bottom) Then place a sheet of parchment paper on top of your pie shell and fill it with your pie weights, or black beans.
place in the oven and cook for 15 minutes. remove the parchment paper taking the beans/pie weights with it, then put the pie shell back in the oven for another 15 minutes to brown it.

Remove from oven then let it cool.

Once you have your pie shell made you can add anything you want to it. from basic chocolate pudding. to lemon filling with meringue on top =)



NOTE. if you dont have a squirt bottle, you can just add the 2 oz of water to the flour/fat and mix in the best that you can using the lest amount of work trying not to over work the flour/fat

NOTE pt2, when cooking with glass, I like to rub shortening all over the pie dish, then do a light coat of flour. it makes for a easier removal.