Ingredients:

  • 1.25 cups all-purpose flour
  • 0.5 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 0.5 cup unsalted butter, cubed and chilled
  • 4 tablespoons ice water
  • 2 cups pie weights (ceramic beads or dried beans)

Instructions:

  1. Roll the dough to a 12 inch circle and fit it into a 9 inch pie plate. Note: Avoid stretching the dough, as stretched dough will shrink during baking.
  2. Crimp the edges firmly and use a fork to dock the bottom by poking 15–20 small holes.
  3. Place the crust in the freezer for at least 60 minutes until it feels rock hard to the touch.
  4. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
  5. Crumple a large piece of parchment paper, then unfold it and press it against the frozen dough. Note: Crumpling makes the paper supple so it fits into the corners of the pan.
  6. Fill the parchment lined crust to the very top with pie weights until the weights support the crimped edges.
  7. Place the pie plate on a baking sheet and bake for 15–17 minutes until the edges are pale gold.
  8. Carefully remove the parchment and weights.
  9. For par baking, return to the oven for 5–8 minutes until the bottom looks dry and opaque.
  10. For a full blind bake, return to the oven for 12–15 minutes until the entire crust is a deep golden mahogany.