Nina's Deluxe Double Butter Pie Crust

When I was living in Venezia, 40 of us would get together to celebrate Thanksgiving. I’d be making pies for days and ever since making really good pies is one of my super powers! Apple pie, pumpkin pie, and pecan pie will forever be a part of our Thanksgiving table.

My secrets to great pie:

• Start with a HOMEMADE all-butter crust (recipe below). Mine is slightly salty with no sugar so it highlights the delicious fillings!
• Make sure all ingredients are cold to ensure a flaky pie crust.
• Pair your pies with a bone-dry bubbly! A dry bubbly will cut through the sweetness so you can have a second (or third) slice. It's not Thanksgiving until you have at least a second slice of pie, right?!
  
  I recommend Villa Parens Gran Noir, a Classic Method Blanc de Noir, 100% Pinot Noir. You might also like Villa Parens Blanc de Blancs, a Classic Method Chardonnay and Ribolla Gialla. 

Here's my recipe!

Nina's Deluxe Double Butter Pie Crust
Makes 4, 9-inch crusts

Ingredients:

• 4 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 2/3 cups unsalted ice-cold butter 
• up to 1 cup of ice-cold water 

Directions:

1. Place flour and salt in large bowl or food processor. Cut or pulse in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs and texture. Work fast to keep ingredients cold.
2. Add 2/3 cup of ice-cold water to flour and butter mixture. Stir and mix gently until all the flour is moist and starts to form a ball. Add more water, a tablespoon at a time, if the flour and butter mixture are not coming together. 
3. With your hands, gently pack the mixture, do not knead. Gently make sure that all the ingredients are mixed together to create a dough. 
4. Form a flat disc, wrap in plastic film tightly, and refrigerate for at least one hour to overnight.
5. On a lightly floured surface roll out a quarter of the dough to fit a 9-inch pie plate. Press the dough evenly into the bottom and sides of the pie plate. Roll out a second crust for covered pies.