pie dough

You've probably picked through the last of your Thanksgiving leftovers, but what about the pie dough? I know I have at least two buttery mounds lying in my fridge awaiting my next move. Rather than letting the dough go to waste (or sending it to freezer purgatory), there are several ways you can make use of the dough this week.

• Try pie for dinner: Usually pie crust isn't sweetened, so why reserve it for desserts only? Try using leftover pie crust in savory dishes like chicken pot pie. The creamy interior, filled with shredded chicken, peas, carrots, and corn, will warm you up on chilly Winter nights.
• Shape into a galette: Galettes are one of the first pastries that culinary school students learn, because they're fairly easy to master. Roll the dough out, stuff it with pear or apples, and fold the edges of the dough on top of the fruit. It bakes like a pie yet requires no pan. Try a savory rendition too by stuffing the galette with hearty greens and crumbly feta or goat cheese.

Read more practical uses for pie dough.

Sometimes I wonder why homemade pie crust has a reputation for being so difficult to make. I'm often surprised to discover friends who are otherwise proficient in the kitchen, yet continue to shy away from the process, and dismiss any recipe involving a homemade crust outright.

I'd wager that much of the problem is rooted in the excess of admonitions advising against potential missteps. Truth be told, it's actually a rather simple process, and has less to do with skill, but instead requires a certain (small) degree of patience. In a nutshell, if you can keep the butter cold, and resist overworking the dough (which really has more to do with doing less) it ought to be a relatively painless process.

Keep reading for the surprisingly simple recipe.

Currently I'm obsessed with pie. Not only am I baking them, but I've also been researching the art of pie-making. The key to super wonderful flaky crust is very cold ingredients. Since most pie dough recipes have you add cubed butter or shortening to flour, I always make this my first step. I dice the butter or scoop the shortening and place it in a small dish. Then, I put this in the freezer while I prep the flour. It ensures that the fat is completely chilled.

Do you have a secret for making perfect pies? Please share it with us below!

Thanks to your encouraging words, this Summer, I've made it a goal to officially get over my fear of dough. I'm following ticamorena's advice, she says, "it's more about experience." Since practice makes perfect, I'm taking every opportunity I can to make dishes that involve dough. I made grilled pizzas, blueberry pie, and last weekend, this peach pie. Although I prefer pies with a lattice on top, as an exercise, I made a double-crusted pie. I followed the recipe to a T, and the dough wasn't that hard to roll out! Oh, side note: the pie is really good. You should make it. If you want the recipe I used, keep reading.

Anytime I bake a recipe that requires the rolling of dough (pizza, pie, cracker, etc.), I get a little scared. What can I say? Dough is intimidating. That's why, whenever I can make it easier on myself, I do! Many recipes will have you place the rolled, ready-to-be-baked dough on parchment paper. When this happens, I recommend rolling the dough out directly on the parchment paper. None of the dough gets stuck to the kitchen counter. To move the rolled dough to the pan, you simply lift the entire thing, parchment paper included.

Do you have a trick for dealing with dough? Please share it with us below!

When making pie dough, it's very important to use really cold butter. This will ensure that the crust is rich, flaky, and buttery. Most recipes remind you that the butter should be cold, but whenever I'm baking a pie, the first thing I do, before measuring anything, is cut the butter into 1/4-inch cubes. I put the cubes in a small dish and place it in the freezer. Then, I start making the dough. The butter is in the freezer for only a few minutes and doesn't really freeze; instead it gets really cold. Do you have a tip for great Thanksgiving pie?