Matt's Pie Crust

2 cups all-purpose flour

½ cup cake flour

1 tablespoon powdered sugar

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup butter flavored Crisco, cold

½ cup whole butter, salted, cold

¼ cup sour cream

½ cup water

Combine the flours, powdered sugar and salt in a food processor and combine for about 30 seconds.

Cut the fats into ¼-inch pieces and scatter them over the flour mixture. Process thoroughly using 10 one second pulses on the food processor. Make sure the mixture has no fat bits larger than small peas. If so, pulse one or two more times. Remove to a large bowl. Combine the sour cream and water in a glass or bowl and stir to combine. Sprinkle 4 tablespoons of the sour cream mixture over the flour mixture and with a fork use a folding motion to incorporate. Add enough additional sour cream mixture so that the dough comes together. It should be damp, cold and hold together when squeezed.

Divide the dough into 2 piles and flatten each into a 6- to 8-inch disk. Wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours - best if overnight.

Take one of the disks out of the refrigerator and let the dough come to just below room temperature before rolling it out Leave the other disk for later use or another pie. The dough should be slightly cool to the touch. Roll to desired thickness and place in a deep dish pie pan. Place the pan with the rolled out dough in the refrigerator to chill for at least 40 minutes.

After 40 minutes in the refrigerator, place the dough and pie pan in the freezer for 20 minutes. While the dough is in the freezer, heat the oven to 400 degree degrees.

After 20 minutes in the freezer, take the dough and pie pan out of the freezer, line the bottom of the pie shell with a parchment circle and then add about 1 to 1½ tablespoons of ceramic pie weights. Place the pie shell on a cookie sheet and bake on the lowest rack of the oven for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, remove the weights and parchment paper. Dock or prick the dough with a fork to let air escape and return the shell to the middle rack of the oven to cook for another 6-8 minutes or until the bottom of the crust is golden brown. If the crust starts to bubble, prick it again with a fork. When the pie crust is golden brown, remove it from the oven and let cool completely before filling.

Repeat with other dough when ready to use.

Makes two crusts.

Matt Zagorski, Arlington Heights