8 Ways to Better Pie Pastry (pumpkin pie recipe included)

This is for people who really don't know what they're doing. So if you know what you're doing you might learn something new!

 


People ask me, "April, how do you make your pie crust so flaky?"

"Well," I say, "it's all in the handling of the pastry. You want to create layers of fat and flour. Also, knowing when to add the water and knowing when to stop mixing are some of the keys to unlocking the secrets of making flaky pie pastry." 

1. Shortening effect: Shortening means to shorten the gluten strands in the flour to produce a tender crust. This is the opposite to bread making where you want to lengthen the gluten strands. (more of that in another blog!) To start with you need some fat. Preferable butter. I like 100% butter in my crust. Butter adds flavour, has a good shortening effect and aids in browning. Vegetable shortening is colourless, odourless, appeals to a wide variety of people and has a high melt point. The other choice is lard. Kind of old fashion and can leave an undesirable taste in the mouth. You can always do a combination of butter and vegetable shortening at 50/50.

2. Blend: Blending is best done by stirring the flour and salt together in a big bowl. Add the butter or shortening in medium sized chunks. The butter/shortening/lard has to be cold, especially in the summer! Use a pastry cutter or a paddle attachment on a stand up mixer and blend until the chunks are about the size of an almond. I know, you're thinking "I thought it was supposed to be pea size pieces!" Pea size pieces gives a more crumbly pastry than larger bits do. So if you want flaky leave the fat chunky!

3. Mix: Mix the water in starting with the least amount of water the recipe calls for and it has to be cold! Too much water leads to shrinking pastry. By hand use a fork and fluff as you go. By mixer do it on low speed. Once all the water is in test the dough by pinching a little of it together between your fingers. If it holds together your done. If not then add more water by the teaspoon full until it comes together. At this point you want to press the dough together rather than knead it. This is definitely a key point! It may look a little rough here but that's okay...it'll smooth out when you start to roll it.

4. Chill: Now that you have a big piece of pastry dough cut it in half and press each half into a disk. Wrap each disk in plastic and chill. Chill for at least 1/2 hour, up to an hour in the summer. Now is a good time to go have a coffee or make the pie filling, or both!

5. Fold: This where things can get complicated. You can skip this if you like but it makes the pastry more flaky! Lightly dust the counter with flour. Roll your disk into a rectangle about 1/2 inch thick. Use a pastry brush to brush away any extra flour before folding. Fold it like a letter, into thirds. Roll it again and fold it again. Okay, now stop. Let the dough rest in the fridge wrapped in plastic. Did you make the pie filling yet? Okay, do that now or take another coffee break.

6. Roll: By now the pastry should be well chilled and if you did step 5 it will be squarish in shape. If it's square, just press the corners in a little to make it more round. Dust the counter with flour. Roll the pastry back and forth a couple of times. Pick up the pastry and turn it a 1/4 turn. Roll it some more. If it's sticking then throw down some more flour. Do another 1/4 turn and some more rolling and you should be there. If not then keep going. If you're using a 9" deep dish then you want a 12" round or an 8" shallow pan and you need an 11" round. Roll two pastry rounds if you're doing a double crust.

7. Line and fill: Lift the pastry dough into the pie pan. Position it in the middle as best you can. Now press it into the pan. Trim the pastry right to the edge of the pan. Add the filling. Brush the edge with water. Place the other pastry round on top of the filling. Make sure the pastry goes right over the edge of the pan. Press lightly to seal the edge. Fold the excess under and crimp as desired.

8. Chill and bake: Chill the whole pie in the fridge for about an hour. This allows the fat to firm up and the gluten to relax. The fat trapped in the layers of flour you made while rolling the dough will create steam and thus make the pastry rise and be flaky. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Pie Recipe

crust: Blend 2 1/2 cups flour with 1 teaspoon salt. Cut in 1 cup butter. Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup water and press together. Divide into two pieces and chill. This is enough for two single crust pies.

filling: Blend 2 cups pumpkin puree with 3 eggs, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin spice blend and 1/2 cup whip cream. Pour into chilled pastry shell and bake 35-45 minutes. Enjoy!

Garden fresh basil pesto and other lovely things to eat!

Hot, Hot, Hot! Oh man! I gotta say I like the heat. Gets the bread proofing a lot faster, reducing the final proof time to 1.5 hours before going into the oven.That means we can bake more!

My garden loves the heat too. I've finally had success with basil!  It's the June heat that got it off to a good start. It's usually rainy and cool on the Sunshine Coast of BC at that time of year.Try my basil pesto. It's very easy and freezes well too. You can freeze the leaves pureed with some olive oil. Pack it into a freezer bag or ice cube trays and you're all set for the fresh taste of basil all winter long.

Basil Pesto: blend 2 cups fresh basil with 1/2 cup olive oil, 3 tbsp toasted pine nuts, 3 cloves of fresh garlic and 1/3 cup grated Parmesan in a blender until smooth.

Here are some great places on the coast Russ and I have gone to with the kids this summer:
Greenroom Organics OMG! the baby tomatoes are sooo sweet! They're like candy! The green leaf lettuce is sweet too, who would have thought lettuce could taste this good!
Henry Reed Produce exceptional array of organic produce including lovely lettuces you can't find at the grocery store.
Fiddlehead Farmer's Market everything fresh grown or hand made on the sunshine coast in one convenient place every Sat until Oct.

At Vancouver we visited our favorite place Granville Island Public Market. I thought after 6 years on the coast that I was over the city but no! everything was beautiful and fresh! I haven't seen steaks like that since the last time we visited. I wish I had a picture for you.

I do have a picture of the jelly fish at Vanocuver Aquarium. The kids just loved it! They had such a great time! We searched for the sloths but they were definitely hiding from the crowds. It's a good idea to get there early if you don't like to wait in line (that's me!). I was pleasantly surprised with the tasty halibut and chips on offer. Crispy, thin batter with just the right amount of fish. I won't shy away from the fast food there. Yum! 

At the shop this week, we are making summer peach pies. What a treat! with a little nutmeg and flaky butter pastry. We also have blueberry with a touch of lemon and cinnamon, and how about the perennial favorite our signature apple chai spice with ginger and cardamom.

Hard to believe but pumpkin pies are up next....recipe to follow in my next issue of Burnt Toast.


Let me know what you think of the pesto recipe. Have fun and enjoy!

April Qureshi