Slab pie.
Butter Pie Crust Dough
BY JAIME STONE
It’s that time again, y’all, time to start preparing for Thanksgiving! Half of you are delighted with the mere thought, while the others are groaning in protest of the food buying, prep work and belaboring over a stove. I understand both camps. As much as I love to bake, why is it so time-consuming? The thought takes all the fun and gratitude right out of my holiday. A few quick recipes can make your Turkey Day so much easier. … You’ll be downright thankful (see what I did there?). If you’ve never heard of a slab pie, it will change your holiday and leftover situation for the better; I promise. In my small family alone, I get four different pie requests, not counting whoever we invited. A slab pie is my secret weapon to eliminate the need to make and bake separate crusts for all varieties. You make only one pie crust, and, utilizing a cookie sheet, create partitions for each variety of pie. I’ve made slabs with two, three or four sections, and even one where three parts were baked pies, then cooled and filled the fourth with a cold filling. Just think ahead and make adjustments for varying cooking times. My second gift to you is apple cider syrup, or, as my son calls it, apple pie in a jar. As most good things do, it came to me out of a simple need, and being cheap. Utilizing ingredients I had on hand, we enjoyed delicious fall-inspired waffles on breakfast-for-dinner night. I hope these recipes inspire you to take it easy on yourself this holiday season, while keeping your meals simply delicious! 14
AROUND ACWORTH | November 2021
• 2½ cups all-purpose flour, plus more to dust, spooned and leveled • ½ tablespoon granulated sugar • ½ teaspoon sea salt • ½ pound cold, unsalted butter (2 sticks) diced into ¼-inch pieces • 6 tablespoons ice water 1. Place the flour, sugar and salt into a food processor and pulse a few times to combine. You also can use a stand mixer, or go old-fashioned with a pastry cutter. 2. Add the cold, diced butter and pulse the mixture until coarse crumbs form, with some pea-sized pieces, then stop mixing. The mixture should remain dry and powdery. 3. Add 6 tablespoons of cold water (avoid adding the ice to dough), and pulse just until moist clumps or small balls form. Press a piece of dough between your fingertips and, if the dough sticks together, you have added enough water. If not, add more water one teaspoon at a time. Be careful not to add too much water, or the dough will be sticky and difficult to roll out. 4. Transfer the dough to a clean work surface, and gather the dough together into a ball. It should not be smooth; do not knead the dough. Divide the dough in half and flatten to form a rectangle. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour before using. This can be made ahead for the following day, to save precious time.
