Theresa’s Pie Crust Recipe

• In large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar and salt

If using box grater:

• Grate butter into flour mixture, stopping half way through to clear out the grater and mix butter into flour mixture with fingers. You want to avoid building a big butter block inside the grater. Make sure grated butter is evenly dispersed throughout flour.
• Slowly incorporate water into mixture, starting by adding 3 TBSP, then adding 1 T at a time after that. Dough should be just starting to come together, and look like a big, shaggy mass. Lightly bring it together with your hands, being careful not to melt the butter with you fingers. Ready a piece of plastic wrap on a clean counter surface, and with a small amount of ceremony, dump the shaggy mass of dough onto the plastic wrap. Using the plastic wrap to help, bring the dough together a bit more, and mold into a flat disc. Chill dough in fridge for about an hour before using (the dough will need to temper on counter for about 1/2 hour before using.)

If using stand mixer:

• Put flour mixture into bowl of stand mixer, fitted with paddle attachment. Chop your cold butter in 1/2" cubes. Add butter to stand mixer, and paddle on medium speed until butter is roughly pea-sized. There can still be a few biggish chunks of butter – be careful not to overmix your butter in to the flour, otherwise the crust will turn out more shortbread like.
• Slowly incorporate water into the dough, starting with 3 TBSP, then adding 1 TBSP at a time after that. Use short bursts of power on your mixer to sort of pulse the dough, looking out for over-mixing. Dough should be just starting to come together, and look like a big, shaggy mass. Ready a piece of plastic wrap on a clean counter surface, and with a small amount of ceremony, dump the shaggy mass of dough onto the plastic wrap. Using the plastic wrap to help, bring the dough together a bit more, and mold into a flat disc. Chill dough in fridge for about an hour before using (the dough will need to temper on counter for about 1/2 hour before using.)

To Blind Bake Crust:

• Preheat oven to 375. Roll dough out 1/8", line pie shell, and crimp as desired. Place in fridge or freezer until thoroughly chilled.
• Pull crust out of fridge, and line with piece of parchment that's larger than the shell by at least 6 inches. Fill parchment liner with baking beans, rice or sugar (you can save the roasted sugar and use it recipes! Thanks to Stella Parks for that awesome trick.) Parchment should be completely weighed down. Bake lined and filled shell in oven for about 30 minutes, or until sides are golden brown and baked.
• Pull shell out of oven, and remove parchment. Allow beans/rice/sugar/whatever to cool entirely before repackaging. Put shell back in oven to finish baking, about 10 more minutes. Bottom of crust should be light golden brown and fully baked.