A scant four days ago, I collected all my essential cooking gear, uprooted the cats, and trekked down to San Diego for the summer. My husband has a summer consulting job down here and we're all learning what it means to live in SoCal. Primarily malls and highways, it would seem. However, I admit that we have yet to really explore the place, and I was happily surprised to discover that we're surrounded by a juicy green freshness that was sorely missing when we drove through dirty, smoggy L.A. Where we are, it's all rolling green hills and highways a-flutter with riotous flowers. I'm planning hiking trips to Torrey Pines and Rancho Sante Fe every. Single. Weekend. We've heard there's a beach of lolling seals somewhere and I can't wait to pack a leftover lunch and find it.
We're squatting in a large rental place -- one of about four locations available to summer workers at my husband's work -- and for the first time, I have a comfortably sized kitchen with plenty of counter space to finally overcome my crippling fear of baking. Or, at the very least, if I can't turn myself into an acceptable baker, I won't be able to use kitchen size as an excuse any more. My first foray into that sphere -- making a pie crust for a luscious fresh strawberry tart -- hasn't been all that successful yet. My pastry cream is perfect and currently chilling in the fridge, waiting to be smoothed into that elusive pie crust that gives me nightmares and delirium tremens. What am I doing wrong? All my ingredients are chilled (even my food processor) and I work fast, yet I still have a problem getting the dough to come together. It's always crumbly and dry when I start to roll it out. And this is even AFTER I let it chill and come to room temperature again. I'm even using up to 4 tablespoons of water in conjunction with 8 oz. of butter and 3 cups flour. In fact, no matter what recipe and what proportions of flour to fat to sugar to liquid I try, I'm always seeming to go OVER the recommended amount of water because I just can't get the dough to come together.
People, I beg you: what is your no-fail pie crust recipe? Be it pâte sucrée or pâte brisée, I need your assistance. Please. I'm desperate. Come hell or high earthquake, I will conquer my pastry fear this summer.