Pull out butter and cut into small cubes, place in a bowl and put in the freezer for at least 30 minutes.
In a food processor add the flour, sugar and salt. Pulse a few times to mix.
Place the freezing cold butter into the food processor and pulse 5-6 times or until the flour becomes crumbly.
Add 1 tablespoon of ice cold water at a time and pulse a few times between each tablespoon until the dough will stick together when pinched (it took me 7 tablespoons).
Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and cut in half to make two equal balls.
Trying not to handle the dough too much, quickly shape into a small disc, wrap in plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
When you’re ready to make your pie pull out the dough and let rest at room temperature for 5-10 minutes.
Roll out to a thin 12 inch diameter circle. Carefully place in a 9 inch pie pan and trim the extra dough around the edges. Fill with your choice of pie filling, and bake!
To Pre-Bake the Crust:
If your recipe calls for a pre-baked crust, as many custard pie recipes do, follow all the steps above until you get to the point where it says to put in the filling. Note that you will need to make only a half recipe if you are only doing a bottom crust. Freeze the crust for at least a half hour, until chilled. This is an important step in pre-baking. Otherwise the crust will slip down the sides.
Preheat your oven to 350°F.
When the pie crust is sufficiently chilled, line the pie crust with parchment paper, wax paper, or aluminum foil. Fill at least two-thirds full with pie weights – dry beans, rice, or stainless-steel pie weights.
Bake with weights for 20 minutes. Remove from oven, cool a few minutes and carefully remove pie weights. Poke small holes in the bottom of the pie crust with a fork and return to oven (without the weights) and cook for an additional 10 minutes, until the crust is golden. Cool completely before filling. You may need to tent the edges of the pie with aluminum foil when you bake your pie, to keep the edges from getting too dried out and burnt.
Notes
Makes 2 pie crusts (nutrition is for 1 slice out of 16 total slices)