simple sourdough pie crust

I bake pies—both savory and sweet—frequently in every season, but more often in the cold months, when the warmth of the oven can heat the entirety of our little home. I bake hand pies and turnovers, potpies and fruit pies, and I almost always use this simple recipe for the crust. I like its pleasant tartness, which complements savory pies and balances the sweetness of dessert pies. When I prepare this crust I typically use high-extraction flour. If you don’t have high-extraction flour on hand, substitute 2 cups all-purpose flour and 1 cup whole-wheat flour.

MAKES: 2 DOUGH DISKS, EACH ONE ENOUGH FOR A 9-INCH PIE

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour, high-extraction wheat flour, plus more for rolling the dough
• 1 teaspoon finely ground unrefined sea salt
• ¼ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ¼ cup sourdough starter
• Cold water

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Pour the flour into a large mixing bowl and whisk in the salt. Using a pastry blender or a fork, work the butter into the flour until its texture begins to resemble coarse cornmeal. Beat in the sourdough starter, followed by cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough is smooth, pliable, and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
2. Form the dough into a ball, then divide it in half. Shape each half into a disk, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 8 and up to 24 hours.
3. To Roll Out the Dough Remove the disk(s) from the refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes, until slightly softened. Cut two large sheets of parchment paper and generously flour one sheet. Place a disk of dough in the center, dust it with flour, and lay the second parchment sheet on top. Roll out the dough to the dimensions specified in the recipe you’re following, or to 10 inches in diameter for a 9-inch pie. If rolling out the second disk, do so in the same way, using two new sheets of parchment paper. (The rolled-out dough can be refrigerated, sandwiched between
   the parchment sheets, for a few hours or wrapped in plastic wrap and frozen for up to 3 months.)