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Buffalo Chicken Flatbread Pizza

The Dough

 

0.5 oz.           yeast, Fleischman’s

350 ml.          warm water

1 tbsp.            honey

2 tbsp.            sugar

 

• Dissolve the yeast, honey and sugar in warm water, in the bowl of a Kitchenaid, it should be warm, but not hot as it can kill the yeast and stop the proofing, so air on the side of cooler than too warm
• Let stand five minutes, while gathering remaining ingredients

 

700 gr.           all purpose flour

10 gr.             salt

2 tbsp.            extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp.            fresh herbs (rosemary, thyme, basil, or your preference!)

 

• Add the remaining ingredients into the yeast mixture and begin to knead, using the dough arm, this should be a small enough batch, but, if necessary, once combined remove from the mixer and knead by hand
• Work the dough until all of the ingredients are combined well and a firm ball is formed, this should take 5-6 minutes to work the dough together
• If the dough is still sticky to the touch add additional flour, bit by bit, until the dough forms a nice ball and is no longer sticky
• Lightly oil a large bowl and place the dough ball inside, cover with a clean, damp, kitchen towel or lightly oiled plastic wrap
• Place in a warm area of your kitchen and let proof until double in volume, 30-45 minutes
• Proceed to punch the dough down and cut into 4-5 evenly sized portions
• Roll into balls and place on lightly oiled pan, slightly apart from one another, cover and allow to proof another 15-20 minutes, or refrigerate until your are ready for dinner, these can last 24-48 hours refrigerated
• When ready, roll out the dough into 12 inch rounds, about ¼ inch thick

 

For the toppings:

 

2 pc.               boneless/skinless chicken breast

½ cup             hot sauce

TT                   S&P

 

• Combine the chicken and hot sauce and let marinade at least one hour
• Heat the grill to high, and grill the chicken breasts until cooked through, but not dry, let rest
• Sliced the chicken into manageable strips for the pizza

 

½ ea.              red onion, julienned

3 tbsp.            brown sugar

½ cup             red wine

 

• Combine the ingredients in a pot and bring to a simmer
• Cook until the onions are soft and caramelized and the liquid is reduced to a syrup

 

2 ea.                green onions, greens only, sliced thin on the biase

100 gr.           blue cheese

¼ cup             ranch

2 tbsp.            extra virgin olive oil

TT                   S&P

 

• When it’s time to assemble, heat the BBQ to 450F
• Ensuring the grill is very clean and your pizza dough is lightly floured, lay the dough down on the grill
• Cook for 60-90 second, you will begin to see the dough bubble and the edges lightly brown, flip over
• Proceed to cook another 60 seconds, remove from the grill
• Top with the sliced chicken, caramelized onions, and blue cheese
• Return to the grill and close the lid, after one minute turn the grill off, keeping the lid closed, this will allow the toppings to heat through and the dough to complete cooking without burning
• Remove the pizza from the grill and onto a large plate
• Drizzle with ranch, olive oil, a little extra hot sauce if you like, and the green onions, and season
• Slice the pizza and serve it up!

 

Congratulations, you just made pizza on the BBQ! You are now officially a master of the grill!

 

Who’s hungry?

Applewood Smoked Salmon with Leek & Bacon Roasted Potatoes

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Feeds: 4-5 people

Special Tools or Supplies: Applewood chips, disposable roasting pan

For this dish I believe firmly in using Lois Lake steelhead salmon. It is a farmed salmon variety, but, unlike farmed Atlantic salmon, it is fished in a reservoir in the interior of B.C. This ensures that the fish are not allowed to escape and cause harm to the wild salmon population. It is deemed to be sustainable, with little impact on the environment, and has been awarded the Ocean Wise status by the Vancouver Aquarium. This is a great option to allow us to enjoy delicious salmon year- round and know that it is not causing harm to our wild salmon population. It can be found at Fins Seafood, or purchased by pre-order from Wild Game Consultants.

1 fillet Lois Lake steelhead salmon, skin on

1 tbsp. grainy Dijon

1 tbsp. Dijon

1 tbsp. horseradish

1 tbsp. maple syrup

2 tbsp. olive oil, for brushing the grill

TT S&P

2 cups applewood chips (can be found at your local hardware store)

For the potatoes:

2 lbs. Yukon gold potatoes

1 ea. leek

1 clove garlic

4 slices Irvings Farm Fresh bacon

2 tbsp. olive oil

TT S&P

TT paprika

Condiment for the fish:

1 ea. lemon

• Begin by soaking the applewood chips in cold water, allow them to soak for 30 minutes

• Lay 2 large pieces of aluminum foil on the counter, slightly overlapping, these will form the base of the pouch for the potatoes to cook in

• Remove the green stalks from the top half of the leeks and discard

• Slit the leeks down the middle, leaving the root intact for the time being

• Run the leeks under cold water opening the layers slightly to remove any dirt

• Remove the root on the leeks and then chop thinly, biased

• Cut the bacon into thin strips, biased

• Peel and mince the garlic

• Wash the potatoes and then slice into ½ inch thick medallions

• In a bowl, combine the sliced potatoes, bacon, leeks and garlic

• Season the potatoes generously with salt, pepper, and a sprinkly of paprika

• Fire up the BBQ to high heat

• Lightly oil the aluminum foil with the olive oil, just enough to minimize the sticking of the potatoes

• Lay the potatoes out on the foil, fairly flat and evenly

• Fold up the aluminum foil to create a well sealed pouch for the potatoes to cook in, ensure it is well wrapped, using a little extra foil if necessary

• Place the potato package on the grill and turn the heat down to medium

• Meanwhile, it’s time to prep the salmon and smoker

• Drain the excess water off of the applewood chips and place in your aluminum roasting pan, spreading them across the bottom surface

• Move the potatoes over to one side, turn the other side up to high and place the roasting pan right on the grill, while in there, flip over your potato package, close the lid

• Allow the potatoes to cook through and the chips to begin to fill the BBQ with smoke, about 12-15 minutes, checking occasionally

• While that is happening, combine the horseradish, mustards and maple syrup

• Season the salmon thoroughly on all sides

• Using a fork or a wooden skewer, check the potatoes, once the y are fork tender you can place them on the top rack of your grill, or place them on a baking sheet and slide them into the oven to stay warm, if you keep them well wrapped you won’t even need the oven on

• Now the chips should be smoking pretty good, so it’s time to cook the salmon

• Turn the heat up on the side of the grill opposite the chips, using a clean rag (one you don’t mind dirtying!), lightly oil the grill to minimize the sticking

• Place the whole salmon fillet skin side down on the grill, and then turn the heat back down to medium

• Close the lid and allow the smoke to impart flavor while the overall heat of the BBQ bakes the salmon

• After 4-5 minutes, open the lid and brush the horseradish-dijon marinade over the top of the fish

• Allow to cook to your liking, another 5-8 minutes

• Using a large offset spatula remove the salmon from the grill and turn it off

• Serve right away with the delicious potatoes

• Important tip: allow the chips to cool fully and then douse thoroughly with cold water before discarding because they will retain their heat for a long time!

Try this creation with a delicious Okanagan Springs Apricot Summer Weizen or a Unibroue Blanche de Chamblay and you will be in BBQ heaven!

Who’s hungry?

Let’s start with a few tips to avoid any further grilling nightmares.

•Whenever possible, keep the meat on the bones, it adds a ton of flavour, helps to keep the chicken moist and can also help to minimize charring by cooking bone side down more often then not

•Treat the chicken skin with respect, you don’t have to remove it, but you must understand that the skin contains a great deal of fat, and where there is fat, there is fire!

•Consider carefully how much fat and/or sugar the products you are using to marinade or flavour your chicken, because sugar and fat can both lead to fires

•Remember that your grill doesn’t necessarily need to be at full heat, in fact cooking chicken at a lower temperature and even using indirect heat can help ease flare ups and allow the larger pieces of chicken to cook through without too much charring

•When cooking large pieces of chicken I actually like to begin the cooking process by roasting the chicken in the oven until the meat is about 70% cooked, this will minimize the charred outside, while ensuring it is cooked through

•Now that we have a few tips to help us avoid disaster, let’s put them to use with a delicious chicken dish.

Chipotle-Lime Barbecue Serben Free Range Chicken w/ Sylvan Star Grilled Polenta

Prep Time: 40 minutes

Marinating Time: 2-4 hours

Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Special Tools: probe or instant read thermometer for the chicken (optional)

Feeds 3-4 people

1 Serben Free Range chicken, whole, or broken down, but bone-on

1 can chipotles in adobo sauce

1 lime, zest and juice

3 cloves garlic, smashed

2 Tbsp. honey

3 Tbsp. cilantro, fresh chopped

½ cup ketchup

1 tsp. onion powder

¼ tsp. paprika

1 Tbsp. Lea & Perrins

Salt and pepper to taste

•If buying the chicken whole, which is my preference because it is cheaper and you can use the carcass to prepare a stock, break the chicken down into two drumsticks, two thighs, and four breast pieces, keeping the bones on. If you are unfamiliar with this, simply purchase the chicken butchered, or refer to the internet for a video of how to do this, it’s really not that tough if you are comfortable with a knife

•In a bowl, combine smashed garlic, honey, chopped cilantro, ketchup, onion powder, paprika, Lea & Perrins, and the juice and zest of the lime

•Now, based on your tolerance of spice, remove the chipotle peppers from the can, preserving the adobo sauce, and coarsely chop the peppers, I find 3 peppers gives it a nice medium heat

•Add the peppers and 3 Tbsp. of the adobo sauce to the bowl, stir to combine

•Add the chicken to the bowl and mix to coat the chicken evenly, season generously with salt and pepper

•Place the chicken in a ziplock bag and work to remove most of the air and seal

•Refrigerate to marinate

Meanwhile, begin to prepare the polenta

2 cups cornmeal

3 cups homogenized milk

100 g Sylvan Star gouda

50 g parmesan

1 shallots, minced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 Tbsp. fresh thyme, chopped

1 tsp. fresh rosemary, chopped

2 Tbsp. raw butter

Salt and pepper

Line a 6X8 inch baking pan with parchment paper, using a little oil or vegetable spray to help it adhere to the pan

Place the milk in a medium, thick bottomed sauce pot and bring to a simmer

Add the garlic, shallots, thyme, rosemary, and then the cornmeal

Turn the heat down to low and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon to cook the cornmeal, this will take at least 5-6 minutes of cooking on low, do not be fooled into thinking it is completely cooked, even if it thickens quickly

At that point add the cheese, raw butter and seasoning, stir to completely combine

Quickly pour the polenta into the baking pan and push out flat and even, this will form the mold for your polenta

Line the top with parchment and refrigerate until cooled and set

When it’s time for dinner….

Turn the oven to 375F

Fire up the barbecue to medium heat

Place the marinated chicken, skin side up on a parchment lined baking sheet and roast in the oven for 12-15 minutes, until the chicken is 70% cooked, alternatively you can cook it on the grill, but you must be very mindful of moving it around and even using the top rack to cook it through without charring it

Meanwhile, flip the polenta out onto a cutting board and cut into portion sized, manageable shapes

Place the par cooked chicken on the grill, skin side up to finish the cooking

Meanwhile, place the polenta on the grill, allowing it to grill nicely, 3-4 minutes per side, patience is a virtue, too early and it will stick, too long and it will burn

Continue to cook the chicken, flipping frequently, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 170F

Serve with some pico de gallo and enjoy!

Alternatively, if you would rather, you could prepare this with my Bacon-Jalapeno-Cheddar corn bread, and you could even turn your BBQ to low and bake it right on the top rack in a throw away baking pan. Find that recipe on my website at www.chefpaulshufelt.com. You could even serve it up with some BBQ roasted corn on the cob as the season arrives!

Who’s hungry?

 

Blackberry Gin Fizz

6-7 fresh (or frozen) blackberries

1 oz. Bombay Sapphire gin

2 oz. tonic water

1 lime wedge

2-3 fresh mint sprigs

In a rocks glass, muddle the blackberries

Fill the glass with ice cubes

Pour in the gin, tonic water and squeeze in the lime

Stir the cocktail and garnish with fresh mint

Enjoy responsibly!

Sleemans Honey Brown Brined Pork Chops & Chipotle-Lime Prawns

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Brining Time: 12 hours

Cooking Time: 15 minutes

Feeds: 4-6 people

1 whole pork rack OR 8 piece 1.5 inch thick pork chops

Brine

1 bottle Sleemans Honey Brown lager

2 cups water

2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar

¼ cup coarse salt

2 Tbsp. honey

¼ cup brown sugar

4 cloves garlic, smashed

1 Tbsp. fresh ginger, sliced

Rub

¼ cup paprika

2 Tbsp. black pepper

1 Tbsp. garlic powder

2 Tbsp. onion powder

1 Tbsp. cayenne seasoning

1 Tbsp. Cajun spice

¼ cup coarse salt

¼ cupbrown sugar

If buying a whole rack of pork (which is typically cheaper!), slice the chops between the bones, leaving 8 chops about 1.5 inches thick

In a bowl combine the water, beer, cider vinegar, honey, brown sugar, garlic and ginger

Place the chops in a deep pan or plastic container, deep enough to submerge the chops in the brine

Pour the brine over the chops and ensure that it is evenly coated over all of the chops

Cover and refrigerate for 12 hours, whenever you’re in the fridge give them a flip so they marinate evenly, do not leave the chops in the brine for too long, as the salt will actually begin to dry out the meat if left in too long

or the rub, combine all dry ingredients and mix until evenly distributed

Preheat the grill

Drain the brine from the chops and discard

Lightly rinse the chops to remove any excess brine and pat dry

Generously rub the chops with the rub and then place on the grill

Broil for 4-5 minutes either side, let rest for 3 minutes and then serve

For the Prawns

1 lb. 16-20(size) prawns, peeled and deveined

2 Tbsp. chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chopped

1 lime, juice only

1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar

¼ cup canola oil

1 Tbsp. fresh basil, chopped

1 Tbsp. garlic, minced

½ Tbsp. honey

Salt and pepper to taste

In a bowl combine all of the marinade ingredients

Pour over the prawns

Let marinade for 1 hour

Drain off the marinade and discard

Lightly season the prawns and then grill

Cook on high heat, flipping as the prawns turn color and cook draw, about 2 minutes per side

Arugula Pesto Rubbed Rack of Lamb with Quinoa Salad

 

Prep Time: 45 minutes

Cooking Time: 15-20 minutes

Feeds: 3-4 people

Special Tools: Food processor, Magic Bullet or mortar and pestle

 

2 whole         lamb racks

 

For the pesto:

2 cups                        arugula

¼ cup             fresh mint leaves

¼ cup             toasted pine nuts

¼ cup             parmesan

2 cloves         garlic

¼ cup             olive oil

½ pc.              lemon, juice only

¼ cup             water

TT                   S&P

 

For the quinoa salad:

2 cups                        quinoa

½ cup                        feta

2 cloves         garlic

1 pint             grape or cherry tomatoes

½ ea.              long English cucumber

¼ ea.              red onion

1 ea.                red pepper

½ cup                        kalamata olives, pitted

3 tbsp.            fresh basil

2 tbsp.            fresh mint

1 pc.               lemon, juice and zest

4 tbsp.            extra virgin olive oil

TT                   S&P

 

 

To begin we will prepare the pesto and then put the quinoa salad together and then cook the lamb racks, so let’s get started!

 

• Begin by picking the mint leaves, removing all of the stems
• Place a medium pan on medium heat
• Place the pine nuts in the pan and lightly toast, moving the pan back and forth to ensure they toast, but not burn, you will smell the light aroma of cooked popcorn as they approach being cooked
• Place all of the ingredients in the food processor and pulse into a coarse paste, adding the water as necessary to help smooth it out
• If using a mortar and pestle begin with the garlic, and pine nuts and salt, working it into a paste, then add the greens, parmesan and the oil and work into a paste
• Set aside and refrigerate, this can be made up to 2-3 days in advance, if you have excess leftover use it in a chicken dish or toss with some fresh pasta, it can last in the fridge for at least a week

 

Now for the quinoa salad

• Preheat the oven to 450F
• Place the grape tomatoes on a pie plate and lightly oil and season
• Place in the oven and roast, about 6-8 minutes
• Place a medium pot of water on high heat, add salt like you would for cooking pasta
• Once boiling, add the quinoa and stir to prevent it from sticking
• Cook until the quinoa is firm yet tender, about 10 minutes
• Drain into a fine mesh strainer and cool quickly with cold water, draining all excess water
• Place the quinoa in a bowl and lightly dress with the olive oil
• Chop the remaining vegetables into small dice
• Chop or break the feta into small pieces
• Chop the herbs
• Zest the lemon into the bowl of quinoa and then juice the lemon into the bowl
• Add all of the remaining ingredients and stir to combine, season
• Set the salad aside and refrigerate, this will taste good today, but even better tomorrow and will last well in the fridge for up to a week

 

When it’s time for dinner

• Preheat the oven to 450F
• Place a large oven proof frying pan on high heat
• Season the lamb racks well
• Lightly oil the frying pan and place the racks in
• Sear on the top side, flip over
• Generously smear the pesto on the top side of the lamb racks and place in the oven
• Roast in the oven to your desired temperature, I enjoy my lamb between medium rare and medium, or 130-140F, this will take about 10 minutes in the oven, if you have a meat thermometer, I recommend you using it rather than guessing
• Once the lamb is done, allow it to rest in the pan out of the oven, this will allow the cooking to be more even and allow you to enjoy a moist lamb rack
• Serve with the delicious quinoa salad and feel good about your choices

 

Who’s hungry?

This is a simple, classic cream of mushroom soup. Nothing fancy, but once you see just how easy this is to make, maybe you’ll consider making this, rather than reaching for another can of soup. I enjoy my cream soups pureed, nice and smooth. That doesn’t have to be the case though. If you like your soup with some texture in it, then slice the mushrooms evenly and fine dice your onions, rather than slicing them julienne. Don’t be shy about the variety of mushrooms you use. There is nothing wrong with using some oyster mushrooms or shiitakes or portabellas or any other delectable mushroom you enjoy. It can add a real depth of flavour to this already delicious soup.

Cream of Mushroom Soup

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Makes: about 5 bowls or 10 cups

Special Tools: Blender or hand mixer (optional)

1.5 lbs. fresh mushrooms, chopped

1 medium onion, julienned

1 Tbsp. minced garlic

¼ cup butter

¼ cup all-purpose flour

½ cup white wine

1.25 lt chicken or vegetable stock

1 cup heavy cream

1 Tbsp. fresh thyme, chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Place a medium sauce pot on medium high heat, melt the butter

Add the onions and garlic and sauté until translucent, but do not brown

Add the mushrooms and continue to sauté

Remove the pot from the direct heat and add the flour, stirring to combine

Return to the heat and deglaze with white wine, reduce

Once reduced add the stock and bring to a simmer

Allow to simmer to cook the roux (flour and butter) out, meaning, ensure the flour has thickened the soup and the chalky flavor of raw flour has been cooked away, this won’t take much more than 8-10 minutes, you don’t want to overcook the mushrooms

Add cream and fresh chopped thyme and simmer another 2 minutes

Adjust seasoning

If you have a hand wand remove the soup from the heat and puree the soup until smooth, if you would like it super smooth you can even pass it through a strainer

If you are using a blender I highly recommend cooling the soup down before blending it. I have seen far too many people getting burned or making an awful mess trying to blend it

Don’t listen to what the food snobs say. Serve the soup with a drizzle of truffle oil if that’s what you like. It will make any mushroom soup just that much more delicious. You can also finish it off with some sour cream or crème fraiche.

Who’s hungry?

 

Baked Wheel of Brie

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Feeds: 3-4, but can easily grow by using a larger wheel

1 small wheel of brie, or your favorite local soft cheese

2 sheets phyllo

¼ cup clarified butter

Salt and pepper to taste

¼ cup chopped nuts, walnuts, pecans, pistachios, almonds etc

½ baguette, sliced into medallions

Lie a sheet of phyllo pastry on your work surface, lightly brush away any excess flour

Lightly brush the phyllo with clarified butter

Place the second sheet of parchment over the first, lining them up on top of one another

Lightly brush the second piece of phyllo

Preheat the oven to 425F

Place the wheel of brie, or your favorite soft local cheese, in the center of the phyllo sheets

Begin to fold over the parchment and wrap the cheese, much like wrapping a gift, if you are using a smaller wheel you may want to trim away some of the excess phyllo with a paring knife

Once wrapped, place on a parchment lined baking pan and place in the oven

Bake for 6-7 minutes

On another baking sheet place the sliced baguette and lightly brush with butter, season with salt and pepper

Remove the brie from the oven and top with your favorite chopped nuts

Return to the oven and also place the baguette in the oven, bake another 3-4 minutes

Remove from the oven and serve warm with your favorite condiments

Who’s hungry?

 

Prosciutto Wrapped Halibut, Spring Pea Risotto, Carrot & Orange Beurre Blanc

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Special Tools: Juicer

Feeds: 4

4 pc. Fresh Pacific Halibut filet, 6 oz. each

8 slices prosciutto, sliced thin

4 Tbsp. canola oil or clarified butter

1 medium carrot, peeled

1 navel orange, peeled

1 Tbsp. chunk of ginger

¼ cup white wine

¼ lb. raw butter, cubed about the size of a sugar cube, cold

1 tsp. honey

1 cup arborio rice

2 Tbsp. shallots, minced

½ Tbsp. garlic. minced

2 Tbsp. canola oil or clarified butter

¼ cup white wine

3 cups stock, chicken, vegetable or fish, your preference

1 cup fresh spring peas, blanched and chilled quickly

1 Tbsp. raw butter

2-3 Tbsp. mascarpone (similar to cream cheese, but try to find the real thing)

¼ lemon, juice only

Salt and pepper to taste

Spring Pea Risotto

In a medium sauce pot, warm the canola oil, add the shallots, and garlic

Cook until translucent, but do not brown

Add the rice, and coat evenly with the oil

Deglaze the pan with the white wine, and reduce

Add the stock, ladle by ladle, stirring constantly to create a creamy, well cooked risotto, al dente, firm, yet tender, the idea is to add a fair amount of stock initially, and then less and less at a time as you get closer to it being cooked. Be sure to season as you go. The end result should be creamy, but not runny, this will take anywhere from 15-20 minutes

Add the blanched peas, lemon juice, butter and mascarpone, stir to completely combine and heat the peas through

Carrot & Orange Beurre Blanc

Using a vegetable juicer, juice the ginger, followed by the orange, and lastly the carrot

If the juice stills seems a little pulpy, quickly pass it through a fine mesh strainer

Place the juice in a small, thick bottomed sauce pot and bring to a simmer

Add the white wine and allow to slowly reduce to about one quarter of it’s original volume, taking on the viscosity of a light syrup

Reduce the heat to low

With whisk in hand, begin to add the butter, cube by cube, whisking quickly to emulsify the butter into the reduction, continue to do so until all of the butter is used, creating an almost cream like sauce, if the surface looks oily, you have overheated the sauce or failed to whisk it in fast enough, causing it to split, and will have to start over

Finish with honey and season

Keep in a warm, but not hot environment until ready to serve over fish, do not make this too early in advance!

Prosciutto Wrapped Halibut

Place a large piece of saran wrap down on your work surface

Lay two slices of prosciutto down on the saran wrap

Place the halibut on the prosciutto, presentation side down, ie fat side up

Fold the saran wrap over the fish, allowing the prosciutto wrap around the fish

Seal the fish in the wrap and refrigerate at least 30 minutes, this will allow the prosciutto to adhere to the fish while cooking later

Heat a medium sized sauté pan to high heat, if you are not comfortable cooking fish without it sticking to the pan just use a non-stick pan

Remove the fish from the wrap and season with salt and pepper

Place the clarified butter or canola in the pan, followed by the fish

Sear on the first side until lightly browned and the prosciutto has crisped up, 3-4 minutes, repeat on the second side

Assembly

Place a bed of spring pea risotto on the plate or bowl

Top with seared halibut

Drizzle the beurre blanc over the fish

Garnish with some fresh pea shoots if you’d like

Who’s hungry?

 

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Resting Time: 2+ hours

Special Tools: food processor (for ease, but not necessary), non-stick pie pan

1+ 1/8 cups AP flour

2 tsp. sugar

½ tsp. salt

½ cup cold, unsalted butter, cubed

3 Tbsp. cold water

½ Tbsp. lemon juice

Combine dry ingredients in the bowl of the food processor and pulse together just to combine

Place the cold butter cubes in the food processor and pulse to combine with the dry ingredients, mix until it begins to form a small crumble

Combine water and lemon juice, then add to the dry ingedients, pulsing until combined, but do not overmix

Once combined, remove from food processor and roll into a ball, flatten out to a disk and then wrap in saran wrap and place in the refrigerator for at the least 2 hours, you need the dough to be chilled before rolling out

If doing this by hand, combine the dry ingredients, cut in the butter with a pastry knife or a fork, then add your water and combine until a ball forms and then wrap and refrigerate

Once rested, lightly flour the work surface, and begin to roll out the disc to about ½ inch thick, lightly flouring as necessary

Roll it out to about 20% larger than your pie shell, then place in the pie shell and trim away the excess, using a paring knife

In order to avoid the dough from shrinking back while baking, I place it back in the fridge for about 30 minutes before I bake it

This pie dough is easy to work with and versatile. If you wish to use it for sweet pies and desserts, simply double the sugar.