My favourite pie crust recipe

It's Christmas day and I have been home for a week now and have already made 2 pies - the first was a QUICHE and the 2nd was a heavenly (but pain in the be-hind) coconut cream pie, which, I must add, was my first ever experience toasting coconut! Christmas at the Hartley James home is definitely a time for baking ... as I type, I can hear my sister working away at the stove making her famous butter tarts. We just finished off another dulce de leche cheesecake for dessert tonight and, over the course of the past couple of days, have consumed an embarrasing number of cheese biscuits (recipe to follow soon, I promise) and cinnamon buns. Somehow, as a family, we have gone through two and a half 1L cartons of heavy whipping cream. Hmmm.

I now introduce - trumpets abound - the most flawless, flakiest, ... fantastikest pie crust around. Thank you Ms. Martha (of course!). I have cut and pasted from her:

making a pie crust

tutorial which I HIGHLY, HIGHLY recommend. It has really nice, clear pictures that show you what your crust should look like along the way. To note is that this recipe uses a food processor which, now that I own one, I strongly recommend any good cook pick up. Everyone knows that you make the best pie crust in a food processor. Hey, anything other than having to use a pastry cutter or, worse yet, 2 knives. These are options though ladies if you find yourself poor in kitchen appliances. Bon appétit all and have a most wonderful Christmas - a celebration of our Saviour's birth! I'll eat pie to that :)

Ingredients and Equipment:
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, cold, cut into small pieces
• 1/4 cup ice water, plus more if needed (I found that adding an extra tbs 1/2 was helpful)
• Food processor
• Rolling pin
• Glass pie plate or metal pie tins


Step 1: Making the Pie Dough
In the bowl of a food processor, combine flour and salt; pulse to combine. After the dry ingredients are pulsed together, the butter pieces are added all at once. The mixture is pulsed again until it has clumps ranging in size from coarse crumbs to 1/2 inch. This usually requires only a few pulses and takes about 10 seconds; it's very important not to overprocess the dough. (To mix by hand, combine dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl, then cut in butter with a pastry blender.)


Step 2
Ice water is added (with the machine running) until the texture of the dough is crumbly and just holds together; the dough should not be wet or sticky. Do not process more than 30 seconds. Test by squeezing a small amount of the dough together; if it is still too crumbly, add a bit more water, 1 tablespoon at a time.

Step 3
The crumbly dough is transferred to a work surface and divided in half. Each portion is placed on a sheet of plastic wrap; the wrap is gathered around the dough and pulled toward the center to form a ball. The dough is then flattened into a disk and chilled. The dough can be frozen for up to 1 month; thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using
 
Step 4: Rolling the Pie Dough
Roll dough back to its proper dimension. Start rolling, working from center. If dough loses circular shape, place end of pin near the crooked edge and roll, working that area by pressing with one hand while holding the pin loosely with the other. Keep the work surface floured so the dough doesn't lose its shape, stick, or tear. Every few passes, release the dough by running a long offset spatula underneath, then throw more flour under it. As you go, run your fingers around the edges of the dough to feel if the thickness is even (and if not, to find where you need to roll more).
 
Step 5: Fitting the Pie Dough
After the pie dough is rolled out to its proper dimension, it's then rolled back up over the pin and gently draped over the pie plate. The dough is then fitted into it.

Step 6: Trimming the Pie Dough
Once the dough is fit properly into the pie plate, kitchen shears are used to trim the dough, leaving an even overhang along the perimeter of the plate.