I'm in Love... with a Pie Crust

(Don't worry Nick, I'll always love you more)

I've made my fair share of pie crusts in my time.  I've *gasp* bought crusts, I've used my mom's recipe, my grandma's recipe, Julia Child's recipe, the recipe that came with my bread machine.  All but the latter, while each very nice, call for varying amounts of shortening (sometimes with butter).  The only time I ever have shortening is when i'm planning on soaping with it, and I haven't soaped in some time.  I have too much soap backed up to be making more.  The only fat in my bread machine recipe is canola oil.  I always have it on hand, and it makes a perfectly functional pie dough...but it's highly mediocre and lacks flakiness.  The new recipe calls for butter exclusively (hey, I didn't say it was healthy... it's a pie crust!).  I always have it on hand and the crust it produces is sufficiently flaky, quite flavorful and smells like shortbread as it bakes.  I think I might keep it.  It isn't perfectly easy to roll straight out of the fridge, it needs a little kneading or it cracks, but it still does need to be refrigerated before rolling.

The recipe says it's enough for 1 crust, but I was able to make two 9 in. crusts with it.  That being said, i had to work to get 2 out of it, and anything bigger than 9 in. would definitely have required doubling the recipe.

1 1/4 c. Flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 c. Butter, chilled and sliced into pats
1/4 c. Ice Water

Put everything but the water into the food processor and spin 'til it looks like flour.  Then add the water 'til it forms a ball.  Refrigerate 4 hrs to overnight before rolling.

Make a Pie.  Eat It.  Love It.