It’s pie season. Why you ask? Fall is always about more time in the kitchen and a ridiculous amount baking. There’s always something comforting about that this time of year. And then there’s American Thanksgiving - a holiday that you can’t even speak of without talking about pie. It seems counterintuitive because all the best fruit is around in the summer but there’s very few of us that will sacrificing ourselves by turning on the oven for pie in the August heat. Which is why it’s worth it to freeze all your favourite summer fruit so you can get the best of both worlds. More on that later.

The world of pie is, well big. And you know I’m all about it because there’s so much to explore. Savoury or sweet. The creative part that is decorating the top. Do a search of pie decorating and you’ll go down a rabbit hole like I did the other day. Anything goes and I love that! Then there’s the most important piece when it comes to pie; the crust. Ones made with lard, or butter, or shortening. Do you add ice water or vodka? Eggs or no eggs? Even the light, shatter with a fork perfection that is puff pastry. So many options, so little time!

Maybe that feels a little overwhelming for you. Maybe making pie crust is something that’s daunting for you. I know it is for a lot of people, and it used to be for me. Here’s what I remind myself with any cooking or baking I do, especially if it’s something new and feels intimidating.

It’s a practice.

It’s a practice to experiment with different styles of dough until you find the one that you like best. It’s a practice in using your senses. To get used to mixing the dough, not letting it warm up too much by over mixing with your hands, or find that sweet spot of liquid so it comes together and isn’t too crumbly. It’s a practice in finding the feel when it comes to rolling out the dough evenly, letting it warm to just the right temperature so that it doesn’t crack but not to warm that the fat melts and sticks. If any of these things happen, great! Guess what? You learned something and get to go back and practice again and again. Because in the end it’s only pie. So get messy, do it imperfectly, and please let it be fun!

What’s Cooking This Week: All Purpose Pie Dough

If you’re intimidated by making pie dough, this is the one for you to start with. Using sour cream is the trick to getting the dough to come together with the right amount of moisture without fussing with getting the right amount of water. I use this one for both sweet and savoury pies and will often make some and freeze to make things even easier. Now go practice!

All purpose pie dough

• 1 cup unbleached all purpose flour

• 1 tsp sugar

• 1/2 tsp kosher salt

• 1/4 tsp baking powder

• 4 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into 1 inch cubes

• 3 tbsp sour cream

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder.

Add the butter and cut it into the flour with a pastry cutter, fork or pinching with your fingers until it resembles a very coarse meal. Chill the dough for 15 minutes.

Add the sour cream and blend it in with the paster cutter or fork. Knead and squeeze the dough 7 to 8 times to incorporate any loose bits. If needed, wet your hands with cold water when kneading.

Gather the dough together into a rough ball, flatten it to a disk and wrap in plastic wrap chill for at least 30 minutes before rolling.

*Double the recipe for a top and bottom pie crust.*

I said I’d get back to the frozen fruit from the summer: Here’s what I’ve learned about that. Berries tend to lose a lot more of their shape and you end up with a lot more juice so what I do is let them thaw in a colander that I put in a bowl to catch all the juices. Then I mix my sugar with the juice and reduce it down on the stove until it’s reduced by about half and looks nice and syrupy. I let it cool slightly then add the fruit and starch. Stone fruit like peaches or apricots don't have the same problem so I don’t bother with this extra step for them.

If you’re looking for some savoury pies to try, there’s the Fishermans Pie (one that I eat alot right about now) or the Roasted Broccoli, Spinach & Feta Pie

Nicola Lamb has a brilliant breakdown on pie fillings (fruit prep, starch, gelling temperatures - yes she goes deep and I love it!) in Kitchen Projects #80 piece that is so worth the read if you’re ready to dive deep into your pie making.

Also, my all time favourite book on pie that I still come back to over and over is The Pie and Pastry Bible. You’ll find every kind of dough (more than just pie), so many helpful breakdowns on understanding different fruits and how they cook. Once you get this part it opens up so much more space for getting creative and mixing different fruit combinations.

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