Drunken Pie Crust - Vodka Pie Crust

Drunken Pie Crust – Vodka Pie Crust

Serves	8
Prep time	30 minutes
By author	Cook's Country Kitchen

One of the best pie-crusts I've ever made. It's very rich in flavor and has a very flaky crust due to the absence of moisture in the pie dough by adding the vodka, which dissipates when cooked removing more moisture than traditional pie crust contributing to a more flaky crust.

Ingredients

1/4 cup cold vodka
1/4 cup cold water
1/2 cup vegetable shortening (cut into 4 pieces)
2 tablespoons sugar
12 tablespoons butter (1.5 sticks cold cubed butter)
2.5 cups unbleached flour (12.5 ounces)
1 teaspoon salt

Directions

Step 1	Process 1 1/2 cups flour, salt, and sugar in food processor until combined, about 2 one-second pulses.
Step 2	Add butter and shortening and process until homogeneous dough just starts to collect in uneven clumps, about 15 seconds (dough will resemble cottage cheese curds and there should be no uncoated flour). Scrape bowl with rubber spatula and redistribute dough evenly around processor blade.
Step 3	Add remaining cup flour and pulse until mixture is evenly distributed around bowl and mass of dough has been broken up, 4 to 6 quick pulses. Empty mixture into medium bowl.
Step 4	Sprinkle vodka and water over mixture. With rubber spatula, use a folding motion to mix, pressing down on dough until dough is slightly tacky and sticks together.
Step 5	Divide dough into two even balls and flatten each into 5-inch disks, but make one disk slightly larger (with more dough) for the bottom crust.
Step 6	Wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 45 minutes or up to 2 days.
Rolling Dough
Step 7	Press dough into 5 inch disk. Do not knead the dough. This will make the crust tough.
Step 8	Remove the larger dough from the refrigerator and unwrap from plastic wrap.
Step 9	Cut 2 pieces of wax or parchment paper and sprinkle one with some flour.
Step 10	Place the dough on the wax paper and sprinkle it with some flour.
Step 11	Place the second piece of was paper over the dough.
Step 12	Begin to roll the dough, starting from the center each time you roll outwards.
Step 13	As the dough becomes larger, remove the wax paper, removing one side at a time. Flour the dough lightly again. Place the was paper back over the dough and flip the dough over and do the same, flouring the other side of the dough.
Step 14	Roll dough out enough where the dough is about 1.5 inches larger than your pie dish.
Step 15	Remove ONE of the wax papers; place your hand under the dough and flip it over on to the pie dish. Slowly remove the second piece of wax paper.
Step 16	Make sure your dough is pressed up against the sides of the pie dish.
Step 17	Fill pie and repeat for second crust.