Skip to main content
Epicurious
Cookbooks

Basic Pie Pastry

3.8

(2)

It takes a bit of practice to make a pie crust, just as it does to hit a tennis ball. Take a cool Saturday morning and make several batches, testing them by cutting off a strip and baking it, until you come up with the one of your dreams. Note on your recipe what you like, then write your own recipe. The size you cut fat into whether you use shortening or butter can both make a difference. Remember, however, that different flours absorb water differently, and flours absorb water differently according to the weather, so your crust will be different in measure each time—you need to learn the feel.

Tip

If you want a browner crust, use butter or margarine. If you want a less brown crust, use vegetable shortening.

Read More
Smothered Italian Sausage
This is what I call a fridge-eater recipe. The key here is getting a nice sear on the sausage and cooking the tomato down until it coats the sausage and vegetables well.
Salmon With Sizzled Nut Salsa
A savory-hot salsa made with mixed nuts (like the kind dubbed cocktail nuts meant for snacking) gives roast salmon a kaleidoscope of textures and flavors.
Our Favorite French Onion Soup
Caramelized onions, melty Gruyère, and a deeply savory broth deliver the kind of comfort that doesn’t need improving.
White Bean Turkey Chili
A dash of cocoa powder adds depth and richness to the broth of this easy turkey chili.
One-Pot Chicken Thighs With Cilantro Rice and Beans
This one-pot dinner cooks chicken thighs directly on top of a bed of flavorful cilantro rice studded with black beans for a complete dinner.
Butternut Squash–Kale Salad With Roasted Garlic Vinaigrette
Round out these autumn greens with tart pomegranate seeds, crunchy pepitas, and a shower of Parmesan.
Dulce de Leche
Make this versatile caramel at home with our slow-simmered method using milk and sugar—or take one of two sweetened condensed milk shortcuts.
Golden Mushroom Soup With Orzo & a Pat of Butter
This is the type of soup that, at first glance, might seem a little…unexciting. But you’re underestimating the power of mushrooms, which do the heavy lifting.