Kate Connally wrote:


> Hey Brian,
> Can I have your recipe for the butter crust?


It's really pretty simple. About 1 cup sifted flour, a quarter teaspoon
of salt if you are using unsalted butter, 6 tablespoons of cold butter,
2-3 tablespoons of ice water.

Sift the flour and salt if you are adding salt.

Cut the butter in as usual, somewhere in the pea to cornmeal size.
Sprinkle in the water gradually, stirring gently with a fork. When it
clumps when pressed together, it's basically done.

I pour the dough makings into a plastic produce bag, forcing it into
one corner, then squeeze it together form the ball right in the bag.
Minimal handling that way.

Because butter has more water than a straight shortening, more gluten
is formed during the initial working. Be sure to rest in the
refigerator for a good while.

An all-butter crust is somewhat less flaky than one with plain
shortening. For a pie with a sticky filling like pecan, that's just
fine. I like a flavor that can stand up to the stronger filling.



Brian