Easy Flaky Pie Crust

With Thanksgiving around the corner, I thought I share my pie crust recipe. I've adapted this recipe from different recipes I found online. I love this food processor method, because it makes it so easy. You can make this dough way in advance and freeze it and just thaw it out the night before in the fridge. I do want to say that it is extremely important that the dough remain cold. It gets to warm and soft it's hard to handle and when it bakes you won't get the flaky crust. It's vital that it stay cold!

 If you're up to making a pie from scratch this is a great recipe to have in your recipe arsenal. This recipe makes two crusts. It's so easy you'll wonder why you never did this before!

Buen Provecho!!!

Make the crust. Add 2 1/4 cups of flour in a food processor.

Sugar 2-3 Tbsp

1/4 tsp salt

2 sticks of very very cold butter. In fact I used frozen butter. Cut it into big cubes.

Pulse until you get a sand consistency.

Once you have "sand" turn processor on and let it run while you pour iced water through tunnel. One TBSP at a time until you see.....

this. The dough will ball up. Take out and mold together.

Divide into 2 equal balls and wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes. You can totally make this dough ahead of time and put it in the fridge for a few days.

Roll out dough according to the size of your dish and place in dish. Add filling and bake according to your recipe.

Easy Flaky Pie Crust - 2 crusts

Pie Crust:
2 1/2 cups Flour
2-4 tbsp Sugar, desired sweetness
1/4 tsp salt
2 stick of butter, cut into cubes and chilled
4-6 Tbsp Water, iced
1 egg, whisk (egg wash)


Road Map:

1. Into a food processor place flour, sugar, salt and butter. Process until it looks like fine sand. Continue to run processor and the through the tunnel on top add 1Tbsp of iced water at the time until the dough forms. Gather the dough into a ball. Divide the dough into 2 equal pieces. Wrap them in plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes.  

2. Roll out dough: lightly flour your surface. Take 1 dough ball and roll out, according to your pie dish. Carefully place dough in dish. Slowly pour Fruit Filling of choice into dough and set aside. Roll out second dough to desired size and top the pie. Crimp the edges. Brush pie with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar. Make 3 slits in the center of the pie. Bake according to your pie recipe.

Bratwurst Empanadas - Fusion Edition

The main players

I love themes! Anytime I get a chance to make food around an event or movie I get really excited. Giddy, actually. :)  So with the World Cup final arriving I was excited to pair it with some good eats.

Throughout the World Cup my husband and I have been rooting for 2 teams USA, of course, and Netherlands, my husband's heritage is Dutch. We loved watching the games and were very sad when they both lost. Even though our teams didn't make it to the final we are still going to enjoy watching the top two battle it out.

 In honor of Germany and Argentina making it to the final, I'm making a fusion dish that honors both countries. Argentina is known for their empanadas and Germany for their sausages. I'm taking the savory soft empanada dough (my pie dough works great here) from Argentina and filling it with beer basted bratwurst and mash potato, served with a honey mustard dip. This recipe is also a great use up for any leftover dough or mash potato.

Futbol requires good finger food! You can totally make the dough and filling ahead of time and just  assemble on the day or even make them completely, refrigerate and just bake them off on the day you're serving. How ever you want do it, go for it!  I'm sure this recipe will score a GOOOOAAAALLLL with your family!  Sorry, I couldn't resist! :)  Ole, Ole, Ole!

Buen Provecho!

Add EVOO to a med high pan & put onions.

Place bratwurst on top of onions.

Add beer to pan. It should come halfway up the bratwurst.

When it comes to a simmer. Cover until liquid reduces/evaporates.

Push aside onions and crisp up the bratwurst.

Flavor in the brown!

Add 1tsp of potato, 1/4 tsp onions & slice of bratwurst.

Rim edges with water, fold to make a half moon and crimp edges with a fork.

Preheat oven 400. Add egg wash. Ready to bake!

Cook for 25-30 minutes, until golden brown.

Soft flaky dough, yummy salty filling with a bit of sweetness from the honey mustard dip.

So delicious! Yum!! Ole, Ole, Ole!

Bratwurst Empanadas:

Ingredients:
 
4-5 Bratwurst
1 Onion, sliced
Beer, enough to cover brats
1- 1 1/2 cups Mash Potato
1 cup Stone Ground Mustard
5-6 Tbsp Honey, to taste
2-3 Tbsp Extra-virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) 
Salt n Pepper

Empanada Dough - vm dough or store-brought pie dough

2 1/4 cups flour
2 sticks of butter, cubed, chilled
3 Tbsp sugar
1/4 Tsp salt
4-6 Tbsp of iced water

1 egg, water- egg wash

Road Map:

Dough:

1. Place flour, butter, sugar and salt into food processor. Process until it has a sandy texture.

2.Continue to run the processor and through the tunnel on top pour 1 Tbsp of ice water at a time until the dough forms a balls.

3. Dust work surface. Remove dough from and form dough into a ball. Divide into 2 pieces. I use a scale to get equal pieces. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap and let it chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or overnight.

4.  You can make them bigger if you like.


Filling:

1. Drizzle 2 Tbsp of EVOO into a large saucepan on medium high heat. Place bratwurst on top of onions. Add beer, halfway to bratwursts.

2. Bring beer to to a fast simmer, not a boil, lower heat to medium, cover and continue to simmer until liquid reduces/evaporates. 

3. Once the liquid has reduced crisp bratwurst until golden brown. Add evoo if necessary to get that nice crispy exterior.

4. Once cool enough to touch slice bratwurst into bite sized pieces. Reserve caramelized onions.


Assembly:

1. Preheat oven to 400. Roll out dough and cut out 4 inch circles.

2.  On one side of the dough circle add approximately 1 tsp potato, 1/4 tsp caramelized onions and a few slices of bratwurst.

3. Rims the edges of the dough with water,  fold over to form a half moon shape, take a fork and crimp the edges to help seal the empanada.

4. Place empanadas on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

5. Whisk an egg and a touch of water. Brush empanadas with egg wash.

6. Bake for 25-20 minutes or until golden brown.  Combine mustard and honey for your dip add salt & pepper to taste. 

7. Enjoy!