Page 145 - Pie Squared

GROCERY STORE CRUSTS

STORE-BOUGHT PIE CRUST

I know. I get it. It seems so much easier to buy pie crust than to
make it. Perhaps you hesitate to make the dough, or you fear rolling
it out and that is what has led you to the refrigerator or freezer case

at your local grocery store. Whatever the reason, now that I’ve got
you looking at this book, I’m going to make one more play for the
real deal. Try my go-to pie crust (All-Butter Crust, here) or press in

an Olive Oil Crust (here) or Shortbread Crust (here) instead of
turning to the pre-made.
But if you’re not there yet, and you plan to buy a crust this one
time, here is what to consider when shopping for a pre-made crust.
Check the ingredient list carefully. Look for butter or organic

shortening and look away from those containing partially
hydrogenated oil, an ingredient that leaves an odd coating in the
mouth. Most grocery store crusts will come already pressed into a

round pan, but for a slab pie, find the ones that come rolled up in a
box, sometimes in the freezer section, sometimes in the refrigerated
section.
Every store-bought crust I tested benefited from a scattering of
salt and, if making a sweet pie, a sprinkling of sugar, too. Add these

seasonings on top of the bottom crust before filling the pie. The salt
is especially important.

Handling Tips
Defrost frozen pie dough overnight in the refrigerator. Once
defrosted, remove one crust at a time from the refrigerator and allow

it to warm slightly, at most only 5 to 10 minutes. Each crust will likely
be individually packaged, often between two pieces of coated paper.
Use those papers to guide the dough while rolling it out and making