Homemade Pie Crust (All-Butter)

1. Place the dry ingredients (flour, sugar and salt) into a food processor and pulse a few times to combine.
2. Add cold diced (or grated) butter and pulse the mixture until coarse crumbs form. Dough should look crumbly.
3. Start by adding 6 Tbsp ice water and pulse just until moist clumps or small balls form, then add more water by tablespoons if needed. Press a piece of dough between your fingers and if the dough sticks together, you have added enough water. Be careful not to add too much water or the dough will be sticky and difficult to roll out.
4. Transfer dough to a clean work surface, and gather dough together into a ball (DO NOT knead, just form). Divide dough in half and flatten to form 2 disks. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 hour before using.

Single-Crust Pie Directions

1. Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Place a baking sheet on the center rack.
2. Roll out enough dough to make one 9-inch crust (1 disk). Lay the dough into a pie plate and then pierce the bottom of the crust with a fork (to prevent the dough from bubbling up). Line the crust with aluminum foil making sure to press the foil against the edges of dough. Then, fill foil with dried beans or pie weights. Refrigerate about 30 minutes or freeze for 10 minutes, or until firm.
3. Place pie crust onto baking sheet and reduce oven temperature to 400 degrees. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until the crust is golden.
4. Make an egg wash by whisking one egg yolk and 1 tablespoon of heavy cream in a small bowl.
5. Remove beans (or pie weights) and foil from pie crust. Brush the bottom and sides of the crust with egg wash. Bake until egg wash is dry and shiny, for about 4 minutes. Cool crust completely before filling.

Double Crust Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Remove half of the dough from refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for a few minutes. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to a 13-inch circle and 1/8 inch thick.
3. Make sure there is a 1-inch edge around the pie dish by flipping the pie dish upside down over the dough. Carefully roll the dough using your rolling pin into the dish. Spoon the pie filling into the pie crust.
4. Roll out the second half of dough over the top of the pie filling. Use kitchen scissors to trim dough around the edges to about 3/4 inch.
5. Fold edges of top crust underneath edges of bottom crust, pressing the edge to seal. Crimp the edges by pressing two fingers on one side and one knuckle on the other side. Refrigerate the pie 15-20 minutes or freeze for 5 minutes before baking.
6. Just before baking, make egg wash (mix 1 egg and 2 tablespoons of water together to make this). Use a pastry brush to brush over the top crust. Then, sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of sugar. Now cut 3 to 4 slits in the top of the pie. Bake as directed by the specific recipe you are following.