Vodka in pie crust, yes vodka….can you believe it! Americas’s Test Kitchen published a recipe in their 2007 Cook’s Illustrated magazine for a pie crust with vodka. I tried it that year and then repeated it for a few Thanksgiving holidays following that. The vodka provides the dough with moisture and imparts no flavor.  It’s worth a try! You can use the rest of the vodka for a holiday cocktail 🙂

FOOLPROOF VODKA PIE DOUGH

Makes one 9-inch double pie crust

• 2-1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon table salt
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 12 tablespoons (1-1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 1/2 cup cold vegetable shortening, cut into 4 pieces
• 1/4 cup cold vodka
• 1/4 cup cold water

Process 1½ cups flour, salt and sugar in food processor until combined, about two 1-second pulses. Add butter and shortening, and process until homogenous dough just starts to collect in uneven clumps, about 15 seconds (dough will resemble cottage cheese curds, and there should be no uncoated flour). Scrape bowl with rubber spatula and redistribute dough evenly around processor blade. Add remaining cup flour and pulse until mixture is evenly distributed around bowl and mass of dough has been broken up, 4 to 6 quick pulses. Empty mixture into medium bowl.

Sprinkle vodka and water over mixture. With rubber spatula, use folding motion to mix, pressing down on dough until dough is slightly tacky and sticks together. Divide dough into two even balls and flatten each into a 4-inch disk. Wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 45 minutes or up to 2 days. Makes crust for 1 pie.

Source: New Best Recipe