Photo by iStock
Have prepared doughs on hand for quick, savory meals and desserts.
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole-wheat, whole-wheat pastry or unbleached all-purpose flour*, or a mixture, plus extra for rolling
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 6 ounces lard or unsalted high-fat butter, cut into small pieces, chilled
- 1 tablespoon vodka (or substitute apple cider vinegar)
- 3 to 5 tablespoons strained ice water, as needed
Directions
- Whisk together flour and salt in a large bowl. Using a food processor, pastry blender or clean hands, begin to “cut in” the bits of fat into the flour until mixture looks like coarse sand or cornmeal. There shouldn’t be many butter pieces larger than a pea.
- Sprinkle vodka and 3 tablespoons water over mixture. Using your hands, form into a thick ball. Add more water a tablespoon or so at a time until dough just pulls together.
- Shape dough into a circle flattened to about 3⁄4-inch thick. Wrap in plastic wrap, and freeze for later use. When you’re ready to use it, thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then roll out crust on a floured surface until it’s about 1⁄4-inch thick.Keep your kitchen stocked and learn more about food prep in Your Freezer, Your Friend: 11 Freezer-Friendly Foods.
Adapted from Whole Grain Baking Made Easy by Tabitha Alterman.
If you’re used to eating whole grains, use 100 percent whole-wheat flour or whole-wheat pastry flour (for a more delicate crust). If you’re trying to learn to love whole grains, replace all-purpose flour with whole-wheat flour a quarter cup at a time.
