Page 69 - Pie Squared

Chill.

Liberally dust the countertop with flour. For a double-crusted pie,
use a sharp knife or a bench scraper to divide the block of dough in
two pieces, one slightly larger than the other. The larger piece will be

used for the bottom crust. Keep the smaller piece covered while
working with the other. If you doubt your ability to roll out the bottom
crust within about 5 minutes, place the smaller piece in the
refrigerator, then warm it slightly, again, before rolling it out. If making

a pie with only one bottom crust, work with the entire block of dough.
Place the dough on the floured surface and smack the surface of
the dough three times with the rolling pin, flip the dough and repeat
on the other side. Smacking the dough is better at this point than

rolling because it doesn’t smear the fats, just compresses them. If
the dough cracks when smacked, step back and allow additional
time to warm, 2 or 3 minutes, then smack the dough again.
Begin to roll the dough from the center upward and downward

using firm, sure strokes, then vaguely to one side or the other,
diagonally, guiding the shape. Sliding a bench scraper under any
spots that stick, lift the dough and turn it a quarter turn and roll again.
Check the size against the taped guide periodically. Dust with

additional flour whenever the dough begins to stick to the pin or the
counter. Do not press down with all your might and do not roll back
and forth; instead, pick the pin up and roll up and pick the pin up and
roll down, each time deftly pushing the dough until it is consistently

thick and large enough to fit in the pan. Turn it 90 degrees to stretch
and form the block to fit the taped size, moving it all the time to keep
it from sticking. Try to avoid rolling over and flattening the edges of
the dough.

If the dough bounces back and fights with you, don’t fight back.
Wait it out, just a couple of minutes, until the dough relaxes.
Continually and lightly dust the pin, the dough, and the counter with
flour, moving the dough around, using the bench scraper to lift the

dough and roll it from another angle. Be quick and agile. Any cracks
can be repaired, so don’t worry. Don’t obsess. Remember the pan is