The Perfect Pie Crust

In your food processor combine all dry ingredients. Pulse until thoroughly blended. Add: cold butter and cold cheese, pulse a few times to incorporate.

Empty the mixture into a stainless steel bowl (you can put the bowl in the freezer before you begin measuring to make sure it will be cold for the last step). Pour your icy water over the mixture and use your other hand to bring the dough together. Press the dough on a lightly floured surface into two 1/2" circles. If the dough feels cool, go ahead and roll it to fit your pie pan, if it has warmed up and seems to be sticking, wrap the circles in plastic and chill for a half hour. Roll this dough to 1/8" - 1/4" thick depending on your recipe.

slightly thicker crusts are great for double crusted fruit pies or pies that will bake for more than an hour.

Yes! Keeping your fats (butter, cheese, lard, you name it...) cold is the key to a successful flaky crust.

I love to use the cheddar dough for apple pies in the fall, I switch it up to mozzarella when I make my blueberry/fresh mozz. curd pie in the summer (which will make its seasonal debut in the pastry case at Reno during brunch this weekend, made with Seedling Farm tart blueberries!)

I also sometimes add rendered chopped bacon (same amount as cheese, 1/2 cup) I use the fat too and substitue 2 oz of butter with cold bacon fat.