Some pie or tart recipes call for you to bake the crust “blind,” which means to partially or fully bake the crust before filling it. This is meant to ensure that your pie crust won’t be soggy.
To partially blind bake a pie shell, fit the rolled-out dough round into a pie plate and chill. Then cover the dough with foil or parchment paper, weigh it down with dried beans or ceramic pie weights, and bake for about 20 minutes at 400°F. Carefully remove the paper and weights and prick the crust with a fork. Return the crust to the oven for an additional 5 to 10 minutes, until the bottom of the crust is lightly golden. Remove and cool completely, before proceeding with the filling.
If using a no-bake filling such as a lemon curd, after removing the pie weights return to the oven and bake an additional 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown all over. If you are making a single-crust pie, freeze the second disk of dough for use at another time. The dough can be kept in the freezer for up to 4 months.