Page 148 - Pie Squared

crust into a cohesive sheet. Using the rolling pin, gently press the
crust into a rectangular-ish shape so it will fit the bottom of a 9- by

13-inch baking sheet and slightly rise up on the sides; aim for
approximately 10 by 14 inches. If the dough is too soft, too warm,
and smears when rolled, put it back in the refrigerator for at least 20
minutes before starting again. Peel off the top piece of parchment,

invert the slab pie pan over the dough, and invert both pan and crust,
using the bottom piece of parchment for leverage. Fit the crust in the
pan, gently pressing it into the corners and up the sides as much as
possible, and refrigerate. A round 9-inch pie crust will never

thoroughly fill a squared pan, but it will make a good effort. Repeat
rolling out the other crust and refrigerate it between the parchment
sheets until ready to fill the pie.
To make a lattice topper or a cutout topper, follow the instructions

here.
Follow the pie recipe as written to make the filling. Fill the bottom
crust and scatter salt across the surface. Peel back the top
parchment paper and invert and drape the top crust over the filling.

Use your fingers to pinch the two crusts together (see Crimp and
Slash, here).
Grocery store crusts need less time to bake than homemade
crusts. If using a grocery store crust, reduce the overall baking time

to no more than a total of 45 to 50 minutes, and reduce the baking
temperature by 25°F. Tent the pie with foil if it browns too quickly.
Using visual cues (bubbling filling, browning crust) to determine
when the pie is done is always the best bet.

PHYLLO
Phyllo is a simple dough of flour and water rolled into very thin

sheets that are then brushed with butter and layered to make a
papery, rich pastry. Because there are no eggs or fats in the dough,
phyllo needs plenty of butter or another fat to form crispy, flaky,

ethereal layers. If you’ve never phyllo’d before, try it once and the
secret to phyllo will be revealed: You can’t make a mistake.
Seriously. This stuff is foolproof. Rips and tears? Patch them with