180 g unsalted butter, cold (omit salt if using salted butter)
1 egg
A pinch of salt
Instructions
Prepare the butter: Cut the butter into small cubes or flakes.
Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the flour and butter. Using your fingertips, blend the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles wet sand.
Add wet ingredients: Gently mix in the egg and a pinch of salt. Be careful not to overwork the dough to avoid activating the gluten.
Chill the dough: Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and press it into a flattened square. Chill in the freezer for about 15 minutes, or in the refrigerator for several hours.
Roll out the dough: Place another piece of plastic wrap, parchment paper, or a silicone mat on your work surface. Put the dough on top and cover it with the plastic wrap it was wrapped in. Roll out the dough into a circle using a rolling pin or a bottle. Ensure the dough extends beyond the size of your pie dish to cover the sides.
Mold the dough: Remove the top layer of plastic wrap and invert the dough into your pie dish. Carefully remove the remaining plastic wrap and mold the dough inside the dish. If any part isn’t covered, take some dough from the excess and patch it.
Prep for baking: Prick the dough all over with a fork. Place it back in the freezer for another 15 minutes.
Bake the crust: Before baking, you may cover the dough with parchment paper and fill it with rice or beans to prevent the dough from rising or the edges from collapsing. If you choose not to use weights, be aware that the edges might sink slightly.
Final baking: Bake directly from the freezer. If baking with weights, bake for 15 minutes, remove the weights, and continue baking until the base is slightly dry. If baking without weights, just keep an eye on it until the base is slightly dry.
Add filling and finish baking: Once the crust is pre-baked, add your filling and bake until the filling is set.