Makes: 1 double crust for a 9-inch pie
Time: About 20 minutes, plus time to chill
Coconut oil will give you a flaky, tender crust, without butter. The usual rules apply: Work quickly, keep the oil cool and firm, and don’t overwork the dough. Refined oil has a far more neutral, versatile flavor than unrefined.
1. Combine the flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor and pulse to combine. Add the oil and pulse until it is just barely blended and crumbly. If you prefer to make the dough by hand, combine all the dry ingredients and oil in a large bowl. Use your fingers to work the oil into the flour mixture until it’s just barely blended.
2. Add 6 tablespoons ice water (not just cold water) to the flour mixture. Process for about 5 seconds, or mix by hand, just until the dough begins to clump together, adding 1 or 2 tablespoons more ice water if necessary (or a little more flour if you add too much water).
3. Divide the dough in half and put each half into a quart-size plastic zipper bag. Press the dough into a disk, taking care not to overheat, overwork, or knead the dough; use just enough pressure to hold it together. Freeze the dough for 10 minutes or refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before rolling. If you’re making a single-crust pie, freeze one disk for another time; wrapped tightly, the dough will keep for several months.
4. Dust a clean work surface with a large pinch of flour. Add the dough and sprinkle just a bit more flour over it. Use a rolling pin to firmly and evenly roll the dough, starting in the center and working outward, rotating a quarter-turn each time to make an even circle. If the dough is too stiff, let it rest for a few minutes. Sprinkle a bit of flour on the dough and rolling pin as needed to prevent sticking.
5. When the dough circle is about 2 inches larger than the pie plate and less than ⅛ inch thick, it’s ready. Roll the dough up halfway onto the pin so it’s easy to move, then center it over the pie plate and unroll it into place. Press the dough into the contours of the dish without squishing or stretching it. Trim the excess dough to about ½ inch all around.
6. If you’re making a single-crust pie, tuck the edges under themselves so the dough is thicker on the rim than it is inside; if you’re making a double-crust pie, leave the edges untucked for now. Put the pie plate in the fridge until the crust feels cool to the touch before filling or prebaking, at least 15 minutes. For a top crust or embellished crust, roll the second disk into a circle on a flat baking sheet, dusted with flour, and put that in the fridge too; then, when you’re ready to assemble, follow the directions for decorative crusts.