Perfect Flaky Pie Crust —rsquo; The Dough Babcia Called “Almost Right”

Halloween. I'm still not a Halloween guy, but Kevin dragged me to the same Brady Street bar as last year. I went as "tired brewery worker," which is not a costume. Kevin went as a hot dog. He committed to the bit. I respect that. The real news: Babcia is adjusting to life at home with the walker. Mom visits every morning before work to help her dress and make breakfast. A home health aide comes three times a week for physical therapy. Babcia tolerates the aide the way she tolerates everything she can't control: with visible irritation and hidden gratitude. She's not cooking. This is the hardest part. She sits at the kitchen table while Mom or I cook, and she watches, and she instructs, and she critiques, but she doesn't stand at the counter. Her hip won't allow it for more than a few minutes. Her hands won't allow the kneading. She's eighty-eight years old and she can't cook in her own kitchen and it's killing her in ways the hip fracture never could. I cook for her three times a week now, in addition to Sunday dinner. Monday, Wednesday, Friday — I stop by after work with something homemade. Soups, stews, pierogi, whatever she needs. It's become my routine. Wake up, brew beer, cook for Babcia, go home. The rhythm of devotion. At the brewery, the mushroom stout bottles are being filled this week for the November release. The label is beautiful — dark background, a single mushroom illustration, the name: "Forest Floor." My beer has a name. My weird, personal, Babcia-inspired mushroom beer has a name and a label and will be in stores. I should be celebrating. I am celebrating. I'm also worried about Babcia. The two feelings coexist. Sunday dinner: I cooked at Babcia's house. She sat at the table and told me to add more salt. I added more salt. She told me to stir more gently. I stirred more gently. She told me the pierogi dough was — wait for it — "almost right." Almost right. From Babcia Helen. I'm framing that.

The Sunday that Babcia told me my pierogi dough was “almost right” — I’ve been thinking about it ever since. From her, that’s basically a standing ovation. Working dough by hand, getting the fat cold, knowing when to stop — it’s the same discipline whether you’re making pierogi or pie crust, and this Perfect Flaky Pie Crust is the recipe I reach for when I want that same meditative, honest kind of cooking. She can’t stand at the counter and knead anymore, but I can, and I do it thinking of her watching from that kitchen table with her arms folded.

Perfect Flaky Pie Crust

Prep Time: 15 min | Chill Time: 30 min | Total Time: 45 min | Servings: 8 (one 9-inch crust)

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp granulated sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, very cold, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3 to 5 tbsp ice water

Instructions

Combine dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and sugar until evenly mixed.
Cut in the butter. Add the cold butter cubes to the flour mixture. Using a pastry cutter or your fingertips, work the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter still visible. Do not overwork — those butter pockets are what create flaky layers.
Add ice water gradually. Drizzle in ice water one tablespoon at a time, gently tossing with a fork after each addition. Stop adding water when the dough just holds together when you pinch a small amount between your fingers. You may need anywhere from 3 to 5 tablespoons.
Form and chill the dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gently press it into a flat disk. Do not knead. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (or up to 2 days).
Roll out the crust. On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough from the center outward into a circle about 12 inches in diameter and 1/8-inch thick. Work quickly to keep the butter cold. Lift and rotate the dough a quarter turn between rolls to prevent sticking.
Transfer to pie dish. Carefully fold the dough in half, then in half again. Lay it into a 9-inch pie dish and gently unfold. Press it lightly into the bottom and sides without stretching. Trim any overhang to about 1 inch beyond the rim, then fold and crimp the edges as desired.
Pre-bake or fill as needed. For a pre-baked shell, prick the bottom with a fork, line with parchment, fill with pie weights or dried beans, and bake at 375°F for 15 minutes. Remove weights and bake another 10 to 12 minutes until golden. For a filled pie, add your filling and bake according to your specific pie recipe.

Nutrition (per serving)

Perfect Flaky Pie Crust — The Dough Babcia Called “Almost Right”