This no-roll crust is delicious and super-quick to make. The folks at Cook's Illustrated call it a "No Fear" Pie Crust and I think it really is foolproof. Even if you are experienced at making pie crust this recipe has the advantage of being fast. Plus, the cream cheese in it gives it a bit of a tang and wonderfully tender texture. It will likely become a standard for me when making pies with a single crust, such as the Rhubarb Custard Pie.
I'll show you how to make this crust, step-by-step...
Continue reading "Press-in-the-pan Pie Crust" »
Why talk about how to cook pasta? Well, I think the art of cooking pasta is somewhat overlooked. Much effort goes into the sauce; maybe not so much on the foundation of the dish--the pasta itself. Not that a whole lot of effort is required: just the right technique.
So I think it's worth spending a few moments to consider the elements of successful pasta-cooking: water, heat, salt, motion, and time (among a few other things)...
Continue reading "Pasta 101" »
Soon the Pacific Northwest will be resplendent with beautiful local fruits and berries. For me, this means pie-making season. But before that all begins, I wanted to review some "foolpoof" pie crust recipes and demonstrate one of them (an all-butter crust).
All these recipes aim to achieve what can be a tricky proposition: a dough that's easy to handle and that consistently produces a tender, flaky crust. To accomplish this, most rely on an ingredient that inhibits gluten development (which can make a crust tough): vinegar, yogurt or sour cream, alcohol, or cake flour...
Continue reading ""Foolproof" pie crust roundup" »
