Use this recipe to make a perfect single pie crust!
Use two knives to cut up the fats into 3/4″ size pieces that are coated with the flour mixture.
Use a pastry cutter or a sturdy fork to finish cutting the fats into the chilled flour mixture. Make a well in the center, then pour in the chilled vodka water. Stir with a sturdy fork to combine. Depending on the weather and how cold your freezer is, the dough may or may not form a ball when mixing with the fork. If it does not, adding up to a tablespoon of additional liquid might be necessary. Since too much liquid can make your crust tough, though, I always switch to mixing by hand before adding more vodka water. If the heat from my hand brings the dough together quickly, I do not add any more. If the dough stays crumbly when mixing by hand, I will add a bit more liquid and then mix by hand again. Only add one teaspoon at a time as you want to add as little as possible.
Form the dough into a ball with your hand. Press the dough into a disk, and wrap it tightly in plastic wrap. Chill in the fridge for an hour. (You can make the dough up to two days before you need it, but you will need to let it sit out at room temperature for a bit before rolling it out.)
Place the chilled dough on a piece of waxed paper and cover it with a second piece. Roll out part way. To keep the circle even, rotate the crust frequently. You will have uneven and cracked edges. Shape the edge all the way around so there are no cracks and the edge is not too thin. Continue rolling out your crust. Several times while rolling it out, I will flip the crust over, peel off what is now the top piece of waxed paper, and replace it before continuing. This prevents wrinkles in the paper and makes for a more uniform crust. Your crust needs to be about 1 1/4” bigger around than your upside down pie pan. This recipe works well for a deep dish 9 1/2″ pan or a regular 10” pan. You can also use a regular 9” pan and just trim off any excess dough.
Remove the top piece of waxed paper, invert the crust into your pie pan, and carefully peel off the waxed paper that is now on top. Gently lift the edges and press the dough into the pan, then carefully peel off the waxed paper.
Fold the edge under all the way around to create a double thickness of dough. Crimp the edge, then put your crust into the fridge to chill for 30 minutes.
For a baked custard pie (like pumpkin pie), you will add your filling to the chilled crust and bake according to the pie recipe directions. Preheat your oven to the temperature required in your recipe.
To blind bake your crust, preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit while you are waiting for the crust to chill. Use a fork to dock (prick) the chilled crust all over, except for the top edge. Immediately put your crust in your preheated oven, and bake for about 30 minutes until it is a light golden brown all over. (If you forgot to preheat your oven, put the docked crust back into the fridge until the oven is ready. The crust needs to be cold when it goes into the oven.) Allow your baked crust to cool completely on a rack before adding your filling.