Pie Dough!

I got this crazy idea over the summer that I was going to perfect my pie making skills. Let me re-phrase that- I had this crazy idea that I would acquire some pie making skills. The Virginia State Fair is this week and I was going to enter a pie. I spent several months getting ready for the fair. I made all sorts of pies: peaches and dream pie, deep dish apple pie, pie dough made with water, pie dough made with vodka, pie with crumble topping, pie with streussel topping, cold pie, warm pie, blueberry pie, fancy cut crust pie, mixed berry pie, apple pear and pecan pie and the winner: 5 Pound Caramel Apple Pie. Apple pie was my front runner for a while but would I dare compete in such an iconic category? I thought my pie was up to the task. Unfortunately I found out too late that I was meant to register in advance. Well damn. But I've pretty much perfected my pie dough and that is what I am here to share with you today. Don't let my perseverance and ultimate oversight go to waste! Everybody- Make Pie! It's the fall, after all!

Pie Dough
Makes enough dough for 2 double crusted pies

• 18 oz Flour
• 13 oz Butter
• Pinch of Salt
• 8-10 Tbls ice cold water

Measure out the flour and the butter. Place the butter in a food processor and top it off with the flour and salt. Pulse about 20 times, until the mixture looks like sand. Place the mixture into the bowl of a kitchen aid mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add 5 tablespoons of ice water and then turn the machine on low, continue adding the water until the dough comes together. The dough will probably need about 20-30 seconds in the mixer. Turn the dough out onto a cold surface and cut it into 4 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a ball and flatten it down into a 4 inch disk. Wrap each disk very tightly and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. The dough can stay in the fridge for 3 days or in the freezer for 1 month.

Here are some of those pies:

Peach Crumble Pie

 Wild Blueberry Pie (with anemic crust....)

Deep Dish Apple Pie

5 Pound Apple Crumble Pie

Blueberry and Plum Pie

Peaches and Dream Pie

Apple, Pear & Pecan Pie

5 Pound Caramel Apple Pie (split into 2 pie dishes...)

Slice of Apple Crumble Pie