Prepping for Pie Season

I love pies. The only thing that can hold me back from whipping up a pie is the crust. What if I don't have enough butter? (I make all-butter pie crusts; no vegetable shortening for me, thank you.) What if I don't have time for the dough to chill? What if I just plain don't have time?

These are just some of the problems that can arise.

The solution: make pie crust in advance. It lasts in the freezer for months. I know; I've tested this theory. Yes, you do have to thaw it a few hours in advance, but if I'm in a pie-baking mood (you know what I'm talking about), I may take a disk out of the freezer and just leave it in the fridge all week until the spirit moves me to bake. Or if I'm planning on a trip to the farmer's market in the afternoon, I might leave the dough on the counter all day (then re-chill it in the refrigerator for a half hour while I prep the filling).

This is the secret to my pies: pre-prepared crust.

Here's how it's done. As with so many things, Cook's Illustrated has an awesome recipe for pie dough. I simply double it (enough for two double crust pies or four single crust pies) and switch out the veg shortening for BUTTER. It will be a lot of butter, people. Don't lose heart.

Many claim that veg shortening makes for a more tender crust, but I love the all butter flavor, and I've yet to receive complaints about a tough crust.

Double Pie Dough
Adapted from Cook's Illustrated.

5 c all purpose flour
2 t salt
3 T sugar
40 T cold unsalted butter (5 sticks), cut into ~1/4 inch slices
1/4 c cold vodka (see note below)
3/4 c ice water

1. Process flour, salt and sugar in food processor briefly, until combined. Add butter (so much butter), and pulse until mixture looks like coarse sand (about 15 one-second pulses).

2. Add vodka and 1/2 c water, and process until dough comes together in a ball. If dough is too dry (not fully coming together), add remaining water, one tablespoon at a time.

3. Scrape out of processor onto lightly floured surface. Divide dough into four even balls and flatten each into a 4-inch disk.

4. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap: one layer for the refrigerator, two layers for the freezer (the goal is to keep the frozen dough as air-free as possible). Put any dough you want to save indefinitely in the freezer. Dough you want to use within the week can go in the fridge. Chill for at least a half hour before using, to allow the fat to harden again, and create lovely flaky pockets in the dough when it bakes.

Now you too may have pie whenever the urge strikes.

Note: Why use vodka, you ask? It's not to get you drunk. (And this pie dough is still fine for kids.) Unlike water, vodka doesn't react with the flour to produce gluten, and the dough is thus more tender. If you happen to have used all your vodka for cocktails, sub in the same amount of ice water.