Alison Roman’s Pie Crust – the “Only Piecrust”
From her cookbook, Dining In, comes Alison Roman’s go-to pie crust recipe, which I’m sharing because I really really like it. Great for galettes, pies, pot pies, hand pies, etc. (see NOTE for the sage or herby pastry option)
- Yield: 1 recipe pie crust 1x
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 1/2 cups (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces, chilled
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or white distilled vinegar
- 1/4 cup ice water
Optional herby add-ins: fresh chopped herbs such as sage (2 tablespoons), fresh chopped thyme leaves (a couple of teaspoons, freshly chopped rosemary and lemon zest (a tablespoon or so, each)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, and salt together. Add the butter and toss to coat it in the flour mixture. If you’re adding any herbs or zest, do so now. Using your hands, smash the butter between your palms and fingertips, mixing it into the flour, creating long, thin, flaky, floury, buttery bits. Once most of the butter is incorporated and there are no large chunks remaining, dump the flour mixture onto a work surface.
- Combine the vinegar with the ice water and drizzle it over the flour-butter mixture. Run your fingers through the mixture like you’re running your fingers through your hair, just to evenly distribute the water through the flour until the dough starts coming together.Â
- Knead the dough a few more times, just to gather up any dry bits from the bottom and place them on the top to be incorporated. Once you’ve got a shaggy mass of dough (it will not be smooth and it certainly will not be shiny), knead it once or twice more and divide it in half. Pat each piece into a flat disk, about 1 inch thick. Wrap each disk individually in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least two hours.
- NOTE: To add herbs, such as sage (like in this galette, simply chop the desired amount (for sage, about 2 tablespoons) and add it in step two, after the vinegar and water mixture has been added. Proceed with the recipe as indicated.Â
Notes
- NOTE: To add herbs, such as sage, simply chop the desired amount (for sage, about 2 tablespoons) and add it in step two, after the vinegar and water mixture has been added. Proceed with the recipe as indicated.Â