Page 54 - Pie Squared

FORMING THE DOUGH BLOCK

Place two pieces of plastic wrap, each about 14 inches long, on the
counter and crisscross them to form an X. Lightly dust with flour.
Dump the dough on the centerpoint of the X, loose and rough, and
dust the top with a little more flour. Fold the wrap over the dough and

use the wrap and a bench scraper, not your warm hands, to press it
into a 6- by 4-inch block (3 by 4 inches if making a single-crusted
pie). The block should be firm, compact, and without cracks and
fissures. The more precise this block is before chilling, the more

straightforward it will be to roll out the dough to size, so be thoughtful
and patient. At the same time, work quickly, so the butter doesn’t
melt.

ROLLING OUT THE DOUGH
I want to assure you that rolling out pie dough is a skill that can be

learned. No one is born with a rolling pin in their hand. With practice,
making a pie and rolling out dough becomes a heavenly experience.
A cold surface and a pin that fits will help you find your rolling mojo.

Counter, Board, or Cloth
Ideally, after forming the dough into a block in plastic wrap and a

good long rest in the refrigerator, pie dough would be rolled out on a
cold stone counter. I am fortunate. I have stone counters in my
kitchen, but during the summer months or when the oven has been
on for a while, they are not cold enough. I remedy the situation by

placing a sealed bag of ice on the counter for 10 minutes, then
remove, dry the counter, and roll out the dough. That right there is
the perfect situation.
We all know perfect situations are rare. So, if you have a small

kitchen and no good counter real estate, try to establish enough
space on another table or surface in your home or with an (extra-
large) piece of smooth marble, stone, ceramic, or a wooden
board used only for this purpose. Remnants or odd pieces can be

found at stone yards and countertop companies.
Any smooth surface works for rolling out pie dough, but the flour