Quarantine Episode 8: Pie Crust and Quiche

What this episode covers

A bit of a hybrid episode, focusing mostly on how to make a pie crust, plus a little about quiche. There’s a lot of misinformation in pie crust tips and recipes — this episode covers all I’ve learned in three decades. NOT-shopping list * All-purpose flour (or pastry flour, if you’re fancy; preferably not bread flour; definitely not cake flour)* Butter* Leaf lard (only if you happen to have access to it; I personally don’t approve of Crisco, but that’s an alternative, if you want really flaky crust)* Eggs* Milk / cream / half-and-half / sour cream / creme fraiche (some combination of these so that you have a mix that’s roughly as fatty as a combo of half milk, half cream)* Miscellaneous fillings (your fridge leftovers!), including cooked vegetables, herbs and possibly cheeses Basic Pie Crust The recipe is so simple I’ll mention it first: For 1 crust for a 9-inch pie plate1 cup all-purpose flour, plus a few more tablespoons for adjusting1/2 cup butter (1 stick) or a combination of butter and leaf lard, no more than half leaf lard1/4 cup ice waterPinch salt, if your butter is unsalted See the nifty pattern there? Very easy to remember. Now…all the magic is in the technique, which I go into in more detail in the podcast. Here is the short version, and a few photos. At all times, keep the butter/lard as cold as possible, and keep your kitchen cool. If you feel your fingers getting greasy at all, stop and put the whole bowl in the fridge for about 10 minutes. Measure the flour (and optional salt) into a large bowl. Set aside some flour for use later, when you’re rolling out the dough. Cut the butter into small cubes. Toss the butter and the flour together, then pick up each piece of butter and quickly squish it flat between your thumb and fingers. (Use both hands to make it go faster.) This is the texture you’re going for with the squished butter. When all the butter has been squished, wash your hands. Possibly put the butter-flour mix back to chill, if it felt like the butter was getting too soft. Slowly drizzle in about half the cold water and stir the mixture with a fork to distribute the water. Drizzle in more water, very gradually, and stir gently. The mixture will start to clump together. You will need to assess whether the dough is fine as is, or if it needs all the measured water (most common). The dough should look fairly moist, but it should not be sticky (a sign you added a bit too much water). If you’re baking in a dry climate, or depending on your flour, you may even need a smidge more water than 1/4 cup, but this is rare. This is the texture you’re looking for after adding enough water. Gently scoop the dough together and press it into a ball — does it hold? Don’t try to force it much, or your hands will warm the butter. If it’s too dry, it will fall back in pieces in the bowl, and you’ll need to add a tiny bit more water — really, a teaspoon at a time. If in doubt, chill again. Once you have a dough that holds together in a ball, cover it with a plastic bag or a bowl and stick it in the refrigerator again. You can hold it like this for hours, if you want. Half an hour is usually enough. (Take this time to get your quiche filling together.) I don’t have photos for rolling out, but it’s described fairly well in the podcast. Key tips are to knock the ball flat with your rolling pin first,