State Fair Pie Crust

💡 Cook's Notes

**Food processor option:** Try using a food processor for mixing. **For extra-flaky crust:** The night before, grate butter with a cheese grater and spread over a large plate. Place the plate in the freezer overnight. This maximizes the coldness of the butter when working with it. About two hours before working with the dough, dissolve 3 teaspoons of salt in one cup of water and place this salt water in the freezer. The salt water will reach temperatures well below 32°F without freezing. **Nutty variation:** Dust work surface with powdered sugar. Unroll refrigerated pre-made dough onto the sugared surface and sprinkle evenly with 1/3 cup toasted, finely chopped pecans. Gently roll over the dough with a rolling pin. Place in pan and bake as usual. **Further reading:** Cook's Illustrated: "Foolproof Pie Crust 101" Fine Cooking, Vol. 38 (May 2000), p. 18 Fine Cooking, Vol. 81 (Nov. 2006), p. 65 – "Perfecting Apple Pie" (includes full page on flaky pie pastry) Fine Cooking, Vol. 44 (May 2001), p. 26B – comprehensive pie and crust education