perfect pie crust

finally, a pie crust worth blogging.

ingredients:

• 1 cup very cold shortening or butter (or a combination)
• 2 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons salt
• ice-cold vodka (no, seriously)

prep:

• chill the fat, cubed, in the freezer for a couple hours
• chill the vodka in the freezer (the only reasonable way to store it, anyway) overnight

actual cooking:

• combine flour & salt
• add the fat and gently combine either by rubbing it between your fingers, cutting it in with two knives, a pastry blender or a food processor until the fat ranges in size from crumbs to peas
• make a well in the dry/fat mixture
• add vodka, a tablespoon at a time, fluffing together with a fork, until the mixture holds together
• shape into 2 disks and chill in the refrigerator at least 1 hour, preferably overnight
• let stand at room temperature for about 20 minutes
• gently roll out each disk on a generously floured board (preferably marble, but those suckers run about $130) to about 1/8 of an inch
• (roll one crust up in plastic wrap for freezing if you're making one custard or crumb pie)
• roll one crust around your rolling pin, move it over to your pie plate and unroll
• make sure the crust is resting in the pie plate fully, not stretched or away from corners
• trim edges so about 1/2 inch or so overlaps and tuck them under around the edge
• prick crust on sides and bottom
• chill for at least one hour
• preheat oven to 400 degrees
• crumple up a piece of parchment into a ball, now gently uncrumple it, now do the hokey-pokey...
• line the crust with the parchment and fill with dried rice and/or beans, or pie weights
• bake for 10 to 20 minute until almost baked through
• fill & cover
• bake as directed (at 375ish until brownedish, is my rule)

so, the three-day time frame isn't really ideal, but damned if this isn't the best crust i've ever made. and no, you don't get drunk. the alcohol bakes out leaving the crust flaky and perfect.