Perfect Pie Crust! Just in time for Thanksgiving

Simple Rustic Tuscany Crostata Recipe included!

Remember the last time you had a really good homemade pie? Bet it’s been a while. Pie dough seems easy because, well, it really is! That doesn’t mean that y’all make nice pie dough, ’cause you don’t — do you? I used to think that girls learned how to make pies watching their mothers and grandmothers. Sadly, even simple cooking techniques, such as basic dough-making, are no longer passed down through generations. We don’t lose just the art of how to make a good pie crust, we lose the memory of how a really good pie crust tastes.

Don’t worry, Chef Bill will help you bring back delicious crusts. Making great pie dough with a crispy, buttery, flaky crust ain’t rocket science — it’s BUTTER SCIENCE! The secret is cold butter. Not just cold butter, but evenly distributed cold butter. Nice dough consists of a few simple ingredients: flour, butter, salt, sugar and water.

Your first step is to get out your food processor. Add the dry ingredients and pulse them a few times. This mixes the dough and lightens the mixture. Next, add butter. It’s critically important that the butter is in one-quarter-inch to one-half-inch pieces and is butt-cold. Really, really butt-cold! Add the butter to the flour mixture and pulse, for a few seconds at a time, until the butter is reduced to a mealy consistency. The pieces should be about 1/16-inch and evenly distributed throughout the flour.

Next add the ice-cold water — but not all at once! (Save about a half-ounce to use if the mixture’s too dry.) Pulse the water into the mix. Do not over-mix! The dough should still be mealy. If the mixture is in a soft ball, you’ve over-processed the dough. You lose! Start again and follow the directions this time.

All that’s left to do is to turn it out and roll. If the pieces of butter are still visible, good job, Betty Crocker!

Here’s a rustic peach pie recipe. Try your newly acquired skill by following the simple directions; you don’t need an elaborate, prissy crust to taste the deliciousness.

CHEF BILL’S PEACH CROSTATA

Dough Ingredients:

• 2 Cups all-purpose flour

• 1/4 Cup sugar

• 1 Teaspoon salt

• 6 Ounces butter cut in half-inch squares

• 1/4 Cup ice cold water

Dough Directions:

1. Combine flour, sugar and salt in a food processor, pulse to blend. Add butter. Pulse until the butter is reduced to the size of small peas. With machine running, add the ice water and process for 10 seconds.

2. Turn out onto parchment. Makes two 11-inch disks. Divide accordingly, roll into disks, wrap in plastic and refrigerate.

Filling Ingredients:

• 1/4 Cup all-purpose flour

• 1/4 Cup sugar

• 4 Tablespoons butter

• 2 Peaches peeled, pitted, sliced in 3/4-inch wedges

• 1 Egg yolk, mixed with 1 teaspoon heavy cream

• 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar

Directions:

1. Combine the flour and sugar in a small bowl, cut in the butter to a coarse meal.

2. Place the peaches in the center of a disk and top with butter/sugar mixture.

3. Drape the edges up forming at least three pleats. Press down and crimp.

4. Brush with egg wash, sprinkle with sugar.

5. Bake at 450° for 25 minutes.

6. Close your eyes and taste the delicious once again.