Four & Twenty Blackbirds' All-Butter Crust

1. 1

   Stir the flour, salt, and sugar together in a large bowl.

2. 2

   Add the butter pieces and coat with the flour mixture using a bench scraper or spatula.

3. 3

   With a pastry blender, cut the butter into the flour mixture, working quickly until mostly pea-size pieces of butter remain (a few larger pieces are okay; be careful not to overblend).

4. 4

   Combine the water, cider vinegar, and ice in a large measuring cup or small bowl.

5. 5

   Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the ice water mixture over the flour mixture, and mix and cut it in with a bench scraper or spatula until it is fully incorporated.

6. 6

   Add more of the ice water mixture, 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time, using the bench scraper or your hands (or both) to mix until the dough comes together in a ball, with some dry bits remaining.

7. 7

   Squeeze and pinch with your fingertips to bring all the dough together, sprinkling dry bits with more small drops of the ice water mixture, if necessary, to combine.

8. 8

   Shape the dough into a flat disc, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, preferably overnight, to give the crust time to mellow.

9. 9

   If making the double-crust version, divide the dough in half before shaping each portion into flat discs.

10. 10

    Wrapped tightly, the dough can be refrigerated for 3 days or frozen for 1 month.

* Per serving · 4 servings · Values may vary.