There is nothing like a good slice of pie in the summer in the late afternoon or evening. I remember being in the town of Port Townsend in the summer of 05 and at a little side street cafe I would go to when I visited. They had good croissant for the area and that can commonly be the measure of a pastry chef’s skill. It must have been July and there was apricot pie on the counter. Apricots were in season and i asked for a slice because i just couldn’t resist. What better afternoon treat? Well this one was horrible. The culprit? Canned apricots!!

All good pie has to start with good pie dough. Recently in the NYT, Mark Bittman wrote about pie dough being too difficult to deal with and suggested work arounds to create things that look nothing like pie. Too difficult? With some basic understanding, pie dough can be made with ease. 

Pie dough is basically flour, fat, water and a bit of salt and sugar. The ratio in which these ingredients are combined, the method in which they are combined and their quality will dictate the final quality of the pastry. Here is a breakdown of the ingredients.

Flour: Use white, unbleached pastry flour. This will provide a nice and tender crust. The dough will have just enough strength to roll out, and not be too strong (so it will be more tender in the mouth). It is important to have some strength in pie dough because the dough needs to maintain its structure during baking. If too weak of a flour is used, such as cake flour, the dough would be too delicate and would be difficult to roll out (lack of strength). All-purpose flour can be used, however it will not be as tender or easy to roll out. If using all-purpose, increase the butter a bit (5%) to make the dough more tender. For a more wholesome pie, try using whole wheat pastry flour for all or a percentage of the flour. If using wwpf, you will likely need to use slightly more water in the recipe.

Water: The power of water in pie dough is strong. It makes the dough when used properly, it makes the dough break when there isn’t enough. Too much and you’ve got a sticky situation in your hands. The function of water in pie and pastry dough is to create strength and structure. This happens when the water hydrates the proteins and starches of the flour.  Depending on how much fat is in the dough, and how the fat is incorporated into the flour, you will need more or less water. Other variables that dictate how much water to use are the age and the type of the flour used. Water should always be cold when used in pastry dough, this ensures the fat in the recipe does not melt or soften too much.

Fat: There are several types of fat that can be used and each will have a unique impact on the dough. The recipe below and considerations mentioned herein are in reference to unsalted butter with a fat content of about 80 percent. Alternative fats that may be used include: shortening, unsalted margarine, lard, liquid oil, cream cheese, butter with higher fat content, suet and rendered animal fats. When using butter, a delicate flavor and pleasurable mouth-feel is achieved. Other fats may be used to create vegan options (canola or safflower oil) or different flavor profiles (cream cheese, lard, suet, rendered animal fats) or they may be used for keeping costs lower or improving storage considerations (shortenings, margarines). The key to fat in pastry dough is controlling how it is dispersed and consequently the degree to which the dough is hydrated.

Salt: A small amount of salt should be added to pie dough. Salt improves the flavor of the dough and also helps bind the water to the flour, creating a less sticky dough. Salt also helps preserve the dough during storage in the refrigerator.

Sugar: Some people don’t use any sugar at all but I think a little bit helps add a bit of flavor and helps to color the crust. When I do add sugar it is granulated white sugar and at about 5% of the flour weight. Sugar is also commonly sprinkled over the dough of sweet pies to give a slight appearance of glaze and texture of crunch.

The process of mixing pie dough is really simple. Be sure all ingredients are measured properly and that the butter and water is cold. Cut the butter into the flour with a pastry knife or the paddle attachment on a mixer. The more you cut in the fat, the finer the texture of the crust will be. If the butter is incorporated to a coarse meal, the dough can be described as a mealy pie dough. These are great for bottom crusts with wet filling. The fat surrounds the starch and protein and protects it from becoming soggy. If the butter is blended in less, a more flaky pie dough is achieved which is great for top crusts. The most common mistake made when cutting the fat into the flour is to do it too much. If the fat and flour forms a paste, no water will be able to be added to the dough, and if used it will lack the structure to make a crust.

Once the fat is cut in to the proper size, add the water. If you are making a flaky pie dough, you will require more water because more of the flour is able to be hydrated. Add just enough water for the dough to come together. It shouldn't feel wet and you shouldn't see dry spots of flour. Once the dough is mixed, it should rest in the refrigerator for several hours or over night or even a few days. Pie dough needs to be cold when it is worked with so it doesn't become too sticky. See below for direction on rolling out the dough.

As for the fruit, local and fresh the best.  The formula below is for Apricot pie but you could really substitute any stone fruit. Picked at the peak of ripeness the quality of these fruits can't be beat. Check out your local farmers market to see what they have. Having grown up in the north east and never having seen a fresh apricot until I was in the northwest (it was bruised and over ripe but i was still amazed at its fresh state) I know many may not have access. Peaches may be substituted here exceptionally well.

The uncooked fresh fruit method is the most appropriate for these fruits. This technique is simple and just combines the fruit with a bit of sugar and cornstarch. The quantity of sugar depends on the sweetness/tartness of the fruit and the quantity of cornstarch depends on how juicy the fruit is. Optional ingredients can include spices like cinnamon, star anise or vanilla. Use caution to cut the fruit all the same size and to not combine it with the sugar starch blend until you are ready to deposit the fruit filling into the lined shell.

Fresh apricot pie

Yield: 2- 9" pies

Pie dough

500 grams of pastry flour

25 grams of sugar

10 grams of salt

350 grams of unsalted butter, cold

150 grams of cold water

Pie dough, process

    * Cut the butter into the flour, sugar and salt until the butter is the size of peas.

    * Add the water to the mixture (hold a small amount back in case it isn't needed to form a cohesive dough... It can be added easily later) and mix just until incorporated.

    * Portion into 250 gram portions for the bottom crust and 220 grams for the top crust.

    * Reserve in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Apricot filling

2 kilo fresh apricots

340 grams of sugar

38 grams of cornstarch

2 vanilla beans

Apricot filling, process

    * Wash, dry and cut the apricots into 4ths and reserve in a bowl.

    * Split and scrape the vanilla beans into the sugar.

    * Disperse the cornstarch into the sugar.

    * Do not combine the starch sugar blend until the pie dough is rolled out.

Assembly and baking

Once the dough is rested and cold, roll out dough and line the pans with the bottom dough. Mix the sugar starch blend with the apricots and deposit between the two pie shells and cover with top dough and seal the border. Cut a few vents in the top dough to let out the steam and brush lightly with eggwash. Bake at 425 F for about 15 minutes and then at 375 for about 30 minutes. The crust should be golden brown and the filling should be bubbling (a good sign the starch has thickened the juices). Let cool and enjoy with some fresh, ever so slightly whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.