BUTTER PIE CRUST

2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 sticks butter (12 tablespoons), frozen or very cold
1 teaspoon salt
7-10 tablespoons ice cold water

1. Combine flour and salt in a large bowl. Add all butter cut into individual tablespoons. Use a pastry blender or heavy duty fork to mash up butter and mix well with flour. Butter should be in chunks the size of peas distributed evenly throughout the flour mixture. *you can use a food processor to incorporate butter.

2. Add 7 tablespoons of water and use your hand to mix the dough, keep adding 1 tablespoon at a time until all dough is in a ball. Not too dry and not too wet.

3. At this point you can either use right away or wrap in plastic wrap and place in the fridge. Chilling the dough makes it easier to handle and less sticky.

4. Flour a cutting board or pastry mat. Split dough in half and roll out with rolling pin to the desired size of your pie plate. I just roll mine out and thin and as large as I can get it and trim excess later.

5. Lay first layer into bottom of pie plate, it should come out and hang over edges of dish. Put your filling in and then cover with second layer. Crimp edges so they seal. Baste with an egg wash (egg mixed with water) and cut slits in the tops of pie to allow steam to escape. You can use small cookie cutters for this as well.

Pie tips:

Not using filling? prick the bottom of the crust with a fork before baking. This will allow for a flaky crust and not soggy.

Use a pie shield or foil around the edges of your crust. Bake pie (with filling) for 45 minutes with shield on, remove shield and bake another 10-15 with it off. This will keep your edges from burning.

Use egg wash to get a golden brown color out of your crust.

Here's a video to assist with a lattice topped pie:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hv4809RKhzg