Dough

With just a touch of sugar, this tender crust cradles the pastry cream and glazed-pear filling especially well.

There is nothing like a homemade piecrust. It's hard to say exactly why it's so amazing—it just is. This classic recipe calls for butter, for flavor, and shortening, for flakiness. Once you get the hang of it, you'll find that people will walk over hot coals for a piece of your pie.

Basic is best when it comes to piecrust. There's no need to fiddle with this multipurpose flaky pastry.

This dough is easy to handle and will give you a crispy crust that's also tender.

Pinwheel cookies, in which chocolate and vanilla dough are layered, rolled, and sliced, are an impressive-looking and delicious treat. Though the rolling process is not complicated, I find that many people are a bit intimidated by it. So, why not do it for them? You make the dough and assemble the log, then the recipient just slices and bakes. Give them the joy of baking without the mess!

Basic is best: When it comes to pie crust, there's no need to fiddle. This simple dough will elevate any of the fillings here.

This recipe for pasta dough includes additional egg yolks, which give it a slightly richer flavor and a yellowish hue. Using olive oil produces a softer dough that's perfect for making a variety of pastas.

We use this crust to make our Bourbon Apple Pie .

Truffles add luxurious appeal, but the ravioli are fantastic without them.

Since many commercial brands of puff pastry contain shortening, not butter, it's worth the effort to make this rich, flaky version at home. Don't be intimidated by the preparation; it's really just tiny bits of work divided up over time. This recipe is an accompaniment for Beef and Guinness Pies .

This recipe is an accompaniment for Potato, Pepper, and Chorizo Empanadas .

This dough is based on one from Chris Bianco, chef of Pizzeria Bianco, that ran in our October 1999 issue. It is an accompaniment for Eggplant, Tomato, and Fontina Pizza .

This classic pastry dough works well for both savory and sweet pies.

Note: This crust accompanies Soppressata Pizza , Butternut Squash Pizza, and Margherita Pizza with Arugula. Prepare toppings first. Healthy bonus: 3.5 grams of fiber per crust, thanks to the whole-wheat flour

There's a reason that we use this recipe time and time again—it results in a flaky pastry that we think is simply the best.

This crispy crust won't flop over on you, so it's wonderful for cocktail parties. It's delicious simply brushed with olive oil and sprinkled with salt, focaccia-style, or topped with 1 cup tomato sauce, 1/2 pound sliced mozzarella, and 2 tablespoons shredded fresh basil leaves.