The right pie crust for the job. Mealy pie dough is the perfect pie dough for pies with a liquid filling. This dense, buttery crust repels water and stays nice and crispy! Say no to soggy bottom pies!
Combine together the flour and salt in the bowl of your stand mixer with the paddle attachment.
Add in your cold butter and mix on low until the mixture resembles a coarse mealy sand
Add in the egg and water and mix on low until the dough sticks together
Flatten the dough and wrap it in plastic wrap. Let the dough chill in the refrigerator for 20 minutes or overnight before using it. Let the dough warm up at room temperature for 20 minutes or until its pliable but still firm before rolling it out.
Notes
The best way to make mealy pie dough is to use a stand mixer or food processor. This works the cold butter into the flour and makes the mixture mealy without needing to use your hands. If you use your hands, the butter can melt pretty fast and your crust will get tough. Always chill your pie dough for at least 20 minutes or better, overnight. This allows the flour time to absorb the water and develop gluten which makes your pie crust stronger and prevents cracking. Let your pie dough warm-up for 20 minutes or more before rolling it out. If you can bend the pie dough without it cracking then it's ready to roll out. Always leave ¼" of pie dough all the way around the pie plate when you trim off the excess to account for shrinking during baking. Always FREEZE your pie before baking it to prevent the dough from shrinking and sliding down the pie plate. Always bake your pie until the crust pulls away from the pie plate, indicating that the center of the pie crust has baked and contracted. If you do not bake until the pie shrinks, your crust will always be soggy and doughy in the middle.