This is a simple sourdough pie crust that you can make with just starter, flour, and butter. Buttery flaky crust goes well with any kind of pie.
Good pie crust makes great pie. You need to work minimum to get good pie crust, too much working can lead to unfavorable crust.
Hard to remember a dessert without a pie during this time of year ?
I like to enjoy all kind of pies. Here is my favorite and well received pie recipes. Pumpkin Pie , Sweet Potato Pie and Mini apple Pie.
What does sourdough starter do in pie crust?
Sourdough starter adds flavor to pie crust. You need to add only a small amount of vinegar as well as water as sourdough starter/discard contains water especially 100% hydration.
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Ingredients to make Sourdough pie crust .
Sourdough Starter/ Discard : Use white flour sourdough starter. Do not use any bread flour sourdough starter.
Flour: Use all-purpose flour, I used unbleached flour you can use bleached all purpose flour too here.
Cornstarch: It makes the crust more tender.
Salt: You can any favorite salt. This adds flavor to recipe.
Butter: Unsalted butter is perfect for pie as it is cleaner and can control salt than using salted butter.
Sugar: It is optional
Water: You need only small amount for this recipe, only one tablespoon water. Make sure it is ice chilly water.
White vinegar: Added to tenderize the pie-dough. You can use buttermilk too.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
You can either make pie crust using hand or food processor.
Using food processor means less handling of the dough and less gluten formation.
First mix all dry ingredients together i.e., flour, cornstarch, salt, and sugar (if using).
Next step involves cutting in the fat (incorporating the butter into the dough). By this process, small particles of fat (butter) are added into the dough while spreading it.
Upon baking moisture in the fat turns to steam which leaves pockets in between the crust.
Then add sourdough starter and vinegar along with little water. This will bring dough together.
Once you can gather dough, shape it, and chill the dough. If you are using for 10-inch pie, then spread it into 10-inch disc and store it in cake then. That way while spreading the dough for crust, you need to work less with dough.
Tips to Make Perfect Pie?
Classic ratio is 3 parts flour, 2 parts fat and 1 part liquid. Even though we can adjust little bit of the ratio to make pie crust when we use sourdough starter or /discard.
Always use chilled water, chilled sourdough starter, chilled butter to make the dough.
Chill the dough for at least 1 hour and up to overnight.
You can freeze the pie dough up to 2 months.
Always spread the pie dough bigger than the pan. And when you place it in the pie plate just slide in. Not do any stretching of the dough.
Make little more dough than you want to use it for pie plate. That way you get little extra for decorations.
You can flute/ crimp the edges if you want .
You can either blind bake the pie crust or make pie without blind baking. I prefer blind baking which ensure the crisp crust without sogginess.
While blind baking also, bake at 375°F ( 190° C) for 25 minutes with pie weights . Then remove the pie weights and reduce temperature to 350°F (180°C) for 15 minutes.
Once the pie crust is completely cool fill in with filling.
This is best homemade simple sourdough pie crust with buttery flaky. So, make ahead and store in freezer. When you ready to bake, thaw, fill, and bake.
Variations of this pie crust
You can use combo of shortening and butter like here instead of all butter crust .
If you do not have sourdough starter or discard in hand increase white vinegar and water.
You can use whole wheat pastry flour, whole wheat flour, oatmeal, cornmeal, or cheese to make pie crust.
Equipment
If you are planning to serve the pie then try to get this pie plate as it is oven to table one.
Storage
You can store the wrapped pie dough into a plastic freezer bag and freeze it for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using.
Simple Sourdough Pie Crust
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1½ cups/ 188g all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoon/ 5g Cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon / 5g granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon/3g salt
- 10 tablespoons/ 141.75 g cold unsalted butter, cut into ¼" pieces
- ½ cup/ 100g sourdough starter
- ½ tbsp/ 12g ice cold water water-vinegar mixture*
Instructions
- Water-vinegar mixture*Fill a one cup measuring cup about halfway up with ice, then add water and 2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- Combine the flour, sugar, and salt in a large mixing bowl/ food processor . Add the butter and toss gently with your hands, to coat with flour. If you are using bowl then use your pastry blender, cut the butter into the flour to break it up partially. Large, random-size pieces of butter will remain. If using food processor then pulse few minutes.
- Continue to cut both fats into the flour the flour has a meal-like consistency. All the flour should look as if it has been "touched" by the fat, and small, split pea-size pieces of fat should remain.
- To this add sourdough starter, then add vinegar and over the mixture. If using food processor pulse few seconds . Then when the dough pulls together.
- Using a pastry fork or other large fork, quickly stir the mixture with a few strokes, "lifting" the mixture up from the bottom of the bowl as you stir. Gently pack the dough into a ball.
- Place the dough on a long sheet of plastic wrap and dust it lightly with flour. Flatten the dough into a 10-inch disk slightly less than ¾" thick. Wrap in the plastic, place this inside a plastic bag, and refrigerate for at least 1 to 2 hours before rolling. Makes a single crust for a 9" - 9½" standard or deep-dish pie.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
This is Swathi ( Dr. Ambujom Saraswathy Ph.D) from Zesty South Indian Kitchen who loves to explore cuisines from all over the world. Whenever possible I try to to give an Indian touch to several of the world cuisine, and has weakness for freshly baked bread. All the recipes you see here are created by me and approved after taste-test by my family.
Mo says
How much vinegar do you add?
Swathi says
Water-vinegar mixture*
Fill a one cup measuring cup about halfway up with ice, then add water and 2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar