This recipe can be made ahead of time and stashed in the freezer for days or weeks, or wrapped up in the fridge for days until ready to be blind-baked. The amount of dough is adequate to fill a 9-inch pie plate (NOT deep dish) or small tart/quiche pan.
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: European
Keyword: pie
Author: Beth Cato
Equipment
food scale
parchment paper
pie weights
Ingredients
225gramsall-purpose flour
4Tablespoonsconfectioners' sugar
150gramscold butter cut into small cubes
1large egg beaten
2Tablespoonscold water plus more as needed
Instructions
Mix flour and confectioners' sugar in a large bowl. Add pieces of butter and rub in with fingertips to break into smaller, flatter morsels. Make a well in the middle and add the beaten egg and one tablespoon of water. Use fingers to work in a bit before adding the second tablespoon.
Work dough until it begins to lump together! Drizzle in tiny increments of additional water, if needed, to make it cohesive. The dough should be able to come together in a ball, not gluey.
Wrap dough in plastic wrap and stash in fridge for at least 20 minutes--or for a few days, or freeze until ready to use.
When ready to blind-bake crust, preheat oven at 375-degrees (180 C, Gas 5). Lightly grease pie plate.
Lightly flour work surface. Use rolling pin to roll dough into proper size for your pan, at about 1/2 cm thickness. Gently set dough into dish and press into place. Make sure excessive amounts of dough don't stick out over the edge but do NOT trim exactly to edge yet.
Cover the pastry surface with parchment paper. Use dried beans or other pie weights to completely fill plate. If using a 9-inch pie plate, bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until crust takes on a light golden color; for a smaller plate, reduce time and monitor color.
Use parchment to lift out pie weights. Use a knife to trim excess dough from edge to form a nice, neat line. Follow filling recipe from here on and bake again as necessary.