Holiday Basics Are Easy As Pie

About author / Amy Powell

World traveler; gourmet 30 minute meals; lover of exotic ingredients; winner on FoodTV's Chefs vs City; graduate French Culinary Institute. Her recipes will tantalize your taste buds.

Deciding what to cook for Thanksgiving is never very difficult; it is how to cook that is the hard part. For instance, you know there will be a turkey, but will you dry brine, wet brine, cook in a bag, or deep fry? Stuffing is a must, but cooked in the bird or out? In addition, there will either be mashed potatoes or an uprising in the family, but the question is lumpy or smooth, flavored or plain? There will be green beans most likely, and a sweet potato or yam, and above all, there will be pie. For all the musings on just how to approach these staples, you know at the very least that the staples will be there whether the green beans are blanched or smothered in cream of mushroom soup.

With these commitments to the holiday classics it is easy to stock up on the staples far before the holidays, even if you have yet to work out the details. It was in that spirit that I found myself at the grocery store picking up a few supplies in advance of cooking. Although I had yet to figure out what I was cooking for this article, let alone Thanksgiving.

As most people know I am a huge proponent of cooking as much from scratch as possible. And since you have days off around the holidays, there is usually time to do that. But in the spirit of cooking in under 30 minutes, I thought it might be handy to have a frozen pie crust on hand, perhaps for a quick turkey pot pie made with Thanksgiving leftovers.

There I was in the frozen food aisle staring at two empty shelves where pie crusts once were. At first I was shocked that the grocery store should be out of such an essential holiday item. Then my shock quickly turned to anger at myself for even considering using frozen pie crust because, after all, I can make a pie crust in less than 30 minutes (including resting time) with little more than butter and flour. Finally, my anger hardened to a resolve that all those people out there who are buying up the frozen pie crust need to know that making one could not be simpler and has a payoff in quality that is worth the extra 15 minutes of work in the kitchen.

True, I cannot make pie from start to finish in 30 minutes, but I can definitely make pie crust from start to finish in under 30 minutes and it will be in the exact same state of readiness as that frozen, cardboard tasting crust from the store. Once made and portioned, it will be standing at attention for whatever pie I want it to be: pumpkin, pecan, or turkey pot.

To make a pie crust, you need flour, cold butter, salt, and ice water. Nothing more. One and a half cups of flour to ¾ cups butter plus ¾ tsp salt mixed together with your fingers, a pastry cutter, or even a food processor makes one pie crust. Once the mixture resembles pea-sized crumbs, start adding ice water by the tablespoonful, mixing in just enough water so the dough can adhere.

Knead a few times by hand to mix together (don’t over-knead or the dough will be tough), then flatten into a disk and wrap in plastic. At this point it can go in the freezer for 15 minutes to use immediately, or in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to be used any time within the next week.

This basic recipe can be doubled or tripled, even quadrupled (just cut back on the salt a bit each time you multiply it). Just divide into the individual disks and freeze or refrigerate for instant pie crust anytime during the holiday season.

For variations, add an egg yolk to the dough after blending the flour and butter together and cut back on the ice water. The egg yolk adds stability to the dough, making it easier to roll and adds a richer taste. If you know the crust is going to be used exclusively for sweet confections, not quiche or pot pie, try adding a tablespoon of sugar per pie crust in with the flour and butter.

The holidays are full of must-haves, and pie crust is sure to find its way into several celebrations between now and New Year’s. If you can have a better pie and all you need is less than 30 minutes, why fight over that cardboard masquerading as crust in the freezer case? Get out those four ingredients and ready your pastry fingers for a crust that will be, if not perfect, then perfectly homemade for a treat that is sure to satisfy the whole season long.

Serves/Makes: 4

• 1 cup frozen pearl onions
• 1 cup cubed cooked turkey
• 2 cups mixed cooked vegetables such as celery, green beans, carrots, or mushrooms
• 1 1/2 cup gravy, more as needed
• 1/2 cup chicken stock, optional as needed
• 1 pie dough for a 9-inch pie crust

Serves/Makes: 1

• 1 1/4 cup flour
• 3/4 cup cold butter
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• ice water