Dinner Party

Pie Crust

2 1/2 cups flour (wheat or white spelt flour)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, divided, diced
1/2 cup ice water
2 tablespoons sugar, optional if making a sweet pie

In a food processor, combine flour and salt. Pulse to combine. Place dry ingredients in a mixing bowl and put the bowl into the refrigerator. Remove 1/2 stick of butter from the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature.

In a food processor, add the 1/2 stick of butter to the flour mixture. Pulse until the fat completely disappears. Add the remaining 1 1/2 sticks butter in separate batches. Pulse until flour mixture resembles the size of a pea.

Move the mixture to a mixing bowl.

Put the cold water in a spray bottle. Using a spray bottle, spritz the dough with the cold water while folding the mixture with a spatula. After about three tablespoons of the liquid, check the dough for consistency. It should hold together when compressed but remain relatively dry to the touch. If it does not bind, add a little more water.

Form the dough into two balls. Wrap the dough in wax paper or parchment paper and rest in refrigerator for 20 minutes.

Roll out each ball to about a ¼ inch disk for the pie crust