Earthy Easy Pie Crust Recipe

1. Chill (if you need it). If your kitchen is warm, pop the butter cubes in the freezer for 10 minutes. Optional but helpful: chill the mixing bowl and rolling pin, too. Fill a small cup with water and ice so your water stays cold.
2. Mix the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, salt, and garlic powder (if using).
3. Cut in the butter. Add cold butter cubes. Use a pastry cutter (or two forks) to cut the butter into the flour until you have a mix of sandy bits and pea-sized chunks, with a few larger flat pieces. Those bigger pieces are future flakes, so do not bully them into submission.
4. Add olive oil, then cold water. Drizzle in the olive oil and toss. In a small bowl, mix the vinegar (if using) into your ice water. Start with 6 tablespoons and drizzle it in a bit at a time, tossing with a fork, until the dough looks shaggy and holds together when you squeeze a handful. If it is still crumbly, add more water 1 teaspoon at a time.
5. Bring it together gently. Dump the shaggy dough onto a lightly floured surface. Press it into a mass with your hands. Knead 2 to 3 times max, just enough to combine.
6. Divide and chill. For a double crust, divide into 2 disks. For a single crust, keep as one disk. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (or up to 3 days).
7. Roll it out. Let the dough sit at room temp for 10 to 15 minutes if very firm. Roll on a lightly floured surface into a circle about 12 inches wide for a standard 9-inch pie dish. (If you divided into two disks, each disk rolls into its own 12-inch circle.) Keep rotating the dough and dusting flour as needed so it does not stick.
8. Transfer to the pie dish. Roll the dough around the rolling pin, unroll into the dish, and gently lift and settle it into the corners. Trim edges, then crimp or fold as you like.
9. Optional: Blind bake for wet fillings. Chill the shaped crust for 20 minutes. Heat oven to 375°F. Line crust with parchment and fill with weights (push weights up the sides, not just the center). Bake 15 minutes, then remove weights and parchment. Bake 8 to 12 minutes more, until the edges are just turning blonde and the bottom looks matte and dry.
10. Use as directed in your recipe. Fill and bake according to your quiche, pot pie, or tart recipe instructions.

Tip: If your dough tears while transferring, patch it. Press scraps into the tear and move on. Nobody has ever tasted “aesthetic perfection.”