It’s summertime which means PIE!!! If you’ve struggled to make homemade pie crust in the past or have never tried before, this is a simple, no-fuss recipe that uses sourdough starter. It will ensure you have a delicious, flakey, buttery crust with a little bit of sourdough tang that pairs perfectly with savory or sweet pies.
Now there are a few ways you can bake your pie crust depending on what recipe you have. For no-bake pies (meaning the filling does not have to be cooked) you will need to fully blind-bake (bake the crust all the way through by itself) your crust. Some pies that have a short bake time may require a par-bake (partial bake of the crust before adding the filling and bake the rest of the way).
Lastly, classic pies like apple pie do not need to bake the crust beforehand and can be baked all at the same time. Whatever pie you are creating, make sure to find out the correct baking needs and bake accordingly. Let’s get started!
Here are a few tips on how to make your sourdough pie crust to ensure maximum deliciousness!
- Use unfed starter/discard to have a more tangy crust. Starter that has been fed and is right at peak will have a less sour taste, but both are delicious with savory and sweet pies.
- Use very cold butter! You can pop it in the freezer for 15 minutes before cutting to get it extra firm.
- Refrigerate your crust in between steps. The colder you can keep it the flakier it will be.
- Parchment or wax paper, or plastic wrap help create an airtight seal on your crust while in the fridge. Make sure to wrap tightly!
- Blind baking your crust? After placing the crust into the pie plate, line it with parchment paper and fill with sugar. The sugar will serve as a weight evenly distributed across the crust and prevent the bottom from puffing up and the sides from slumping. The sugar can be reused for other baking projects!
We got our tips, let’s talk about baking methods!
- Blind bake- This means you are baking the crust all the way through without a filling. This is common for no-bake recipes where the filling sets in the refrigerator. Using the tip above, line the crust with parchment paper and fill the sugar. Place into a 350° oven and bake for 15 mins. Raise the temperature to 375° and bake for another 15-20 minutes or until golden brown on the edges to your liking.
- Parbake- This indicates you are partially baking the crust and baking the rest of the way with a filling inside. Use a fork to poke across the bottom of the crust once in the pie plate so that air will release and prevent bubbling. Bake at 350° for 15 mins. Remove from the oven and add the filling. Bake according to your recipe.
- Fully baked- Many classic pies are baked this way. Simply roll your crust into the pie plate, add the filling, and bake!
Now that we covered everything, here’s the recipe! I hope you get to baking soon and share with me all the delicious pies you bake up!
The Flakiest Sourdough Pie Crust
Ingredients
- 400 g all-purpose flour
- 400 g starter
- 12 Tbsp cold butter (1½ sticks)
- 12 g salt
- 6 Tbsp cold water
Instructions
- In a large bowl, weigh out flour and salt. Mix together to evenly distribute salt.
- Use a knife to cut the cold butter in quarters lengthwise, and then slice into small sections widthwise. Add the butter to the flour and toss to coat the pieces.Using a pastry cutter, blender, or food processor cut the butter into the flour until it is in pea-sized pieces and fully distributed in the flour.
- Add the starter and water to the flour, salt, and butter and begin to mix together inside the bowl.
- Once a shaggy dough has formed, turn the dough out onto a worksurface and began kneading it together. As soon as everything is combined, stop kneading.
- Wrap the dough in parchment, plastic wrap, or wax paper and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 72 hours for long fermentation.
- Remove the dough from the fridge and cut in half. Each half makes one crust.Roll out the dough to about ¼ inch thick, lightly adding flour as needed to prevent sticking.
- Drape the crust into a pie plate and gently press it in to mold the shape. Use scissors or a knife to cut along the edge of the pie plate and remove excess dough.Line the dough with parchment, wax, or plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Remove from the fridge and bake according to your recipe of choice.
Baking Methods
- Par-bake: bake at 350° for 15 minutes
- Blind bake: bake at 350° for 15 minutes then at 375° for 15-20 minutes.
- Regular bake: Add your filling and bake at the temperature and time indicated within the recipe.