Sourdough Discard Pie Crust

Flaky, tender and rich, this Sourdough Discard Pie Crust is easy to make and to bake! If you have problems when making pie crust, this no-fail recipe might be just what you're looking for.

If you use sourdough, you probably understand the need of a lot of sourdough discard recipes: it pains me to throw my discard away!

Having a good amount of recipes for unfed sourdough starter is the best way to avoid pouring your sourdough discard down the drain.

Also, using sourdough discard can improve greatly a lot of recipes, like pie crust!

Still don’t have a sourdough starter? I can teach you how to make one from scratch!

Why make this recipe

• Sourdough discard can make your pie crust tender;

• You can use this recipe both for sweet and savory pies (and quiches!);

• This recipe works every time!

Does this recipe needs to long-ferment?

You can opt to long-ferment this sourdough discard pie, or you can chill for just 2 hours and then use it. Both ways will give you an amazing and tender pie crust.

If you opt to long-ferment, always do it inside your fridge: pie crust dough needs to be kept cold all the time.

You can leave the dough cold fermenting for 24 hours to 4 days. The longer you leave, the more complex it will taste.

To me, when long fermenting, 24 hours are sufficient for a delicious taste.

Why add vinegar to a pie crust?

Vinegar is an acidic ingredient. If you don’t know, acidic ingredients, when added in the right amount, help to prevent a tough crust.

That happens because vinegar in the right quantity prevents gluten formation. Without gluten, you have a tender, flaky crust. The amount of vinegar we can add to a pie crust recipe is usually not enough to prevent gluten from developing, though.

What sourdough discard does to a pie crust?

Sourdough starter is also an acidic ingredient, but different from vinegar, you can use more than a tablespoon. The amount used in this recipe is enough to make it acidic enough for the crust to be tender.

Using this ingredient also gives you an extra hand when it comes to a tender crust.

When using sourdough starter, there will be a tiny lift in the crust, courtesy of the wild yeast present in the dough. The result: an extra-tender pie crust.

This recipe uses 130 grams of unfed sourdough starter (about ⅓ cup).

Ingredients

This recipe makes enough crust for a pie that requires only bottom crust.

If your recipe requires top and bottom crust, double the recipe.

Sourdough starter. Use sourdough discard (cold and 100% hydration), specially if you’re using cups instead of weights. A cup of fed sourdough starter weights less than a cup of sourdough discard.

Sugar. The amount used won’t make this crust sweet, but help with caramelization, giving it a beautiful golden color when baked.

Salt. It helps to boost the flavor. The amount used won’t make the dough salty: you can still use this recipe for both savory and sweet pies.

Flour. I only used all-purpose flour for this recipe. Whole wheat flour will change the amount of liquid you’ll need to add to form the dough, and also it will make a tougher pie crust.

Butter. Use unsalted and icy cold.

How to make it

This recipe is made for everyone that, like me, has A LOT OF PROBLEMS making pie crust.

I make it using a food processor. Don’t worry, if you follow every step, you’ll get a super tender pie crust even with this cheating method.

Don’t have a food processor? You can still do it by mixing all the ingredients using your hands, a fork or a pastry cutter! But if you have one, use it: less work for you, and a perfect result.

1. Mix dry ingredients. Add flour, sugar and salt to a food processor, giving it a quick pulse to combine.
   
2. Add butter (2a). Remember: butter needs to be cold. Cut butter into cubes, add to food processor and quick pulse 5 to 6 times (2b). Butter should be broken up into smaller pieces.
   
3. Add sourdough starter. Add sourdough starter (3a) and quick pulse 5 to 6 times more, just to mix starter evenly in the mixture (3b) .
   
4. Form dough. Place crumbly mixture into a large bowl, and press it together until you form dough. It should be considerably easy, and I get the result you see without adding any liquid. If your dough is too crumbly, add 1 tablespoon of vodka.
   
5. Chill for at least 2 hours. Shape dough into a disk and cover it in plastic wrap. Chill for at least 2 hours, to 4 days.
   
6. Open dough. Let dough come to room temperature for about 15 minutes, so it’ll be easier to work with. Unwrap dough, place it on a floured surface and roll it open with a rolling pin. Make sure dough is not sticking by rotating it a few times during rolling. If sticking, unstuck it carefully and re-flour the surface you’re working on.
   
7. Transfer open dough to pie dish. I use my rolling pin to make it easier and also to avoid breaking the pie crust in the process. Wrap it around the rolling pin and unwrap over pie dish. You can see it better on the recipe’s video.
   
8. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. I like to be extra sure my pie crust is cold before putting in the oven, so it won’t shrink when baking, becoming though. So while I preheat my oven, I usually cover and refrigerate the opened dough again for at least 30 minutes.

How to roll the dough open?

Here are a list of things you can’t forget when rolling open your sourdough pie crust:

• Let it rest at room temperature for at least 15 minutes, so the dough will be easier to work with;

• Always flour the surface you’ll be using to roll open your pie crust;

• After a few passes of the rolling pin, check if the crust is not sticking. If it is, re-flour the surface you’re working on;

• Use as much flour you need to prevent dough from sticking;

• Be as quick as you can.

Tips for making an extra tender crust

• Always start with chilled ingredients. They need to be super cold, so gluten does not develop. The less gluten, the tender the pie crust will be. Sourdough discard, butter and vodka if needed must be added cold.

• Try not to overwork the dough. When you're mixing, pressing the dough together or rolling it open, you're also helping with the gluten formation. Handle pie crust as little as possible. Never knead pie crust dough.

• Flatten the dough before chilling. The flatter, the easier will be to work with. Check the photos and video to see how much I flatten the dough before chilling.

• Never stretch the dough when placing it into the pie dish. If you do, the dough will shrink when baking. Place dough gently into the dish.

• Use a pie shield. Aluminum foil works great for that purpose if you don’t have a proper pie shield. Use it around the edges of your pie crust to prevent burning, specially if you’re blind baking it.

How do you prevent a soggy pie crust?

Bake bottom crust blind

Baking this sourdough pie crust blind prevents a soggy bottom, especially if you’re using watery raw fruits or a runny filling. I always do that, and am always rewarded with a crispy bottom.

Place parchment paper and weigh it down with pie weights, beans or rice before placing in the oven to avoid bottom from browning.

Choose bottom rack

Baking in the bottom rack of your oven also helps with a crispy crust.

Baking it using a lower rack concentrates heat at the bottom, and that helps specially if you’re baking a pie with a watery filling. Bye-bye soggy crust!

Preheat the oven

You need to preheat the oven for pies. That’s super important if you’re blind baking your bottom pie crust!

For blind baking, I preheat for at least 15 minutes at 450°F. The high heat helps the gluten set before the butter melts, and that prevents the edges from collapsing when baking.

You can lower the temperature after the gluten has set.

Should you poke holes in the bottom of a pie crust?

Poking holes when blind baking a pie crust helps the same way a pie weight would. It will help the steam escape while baking, avoiding the formation of bubbles and pockets in the crust.

If you opt for poking instead of using weights, do it with a fork through all crust, don’t forgetting the sides.

Do not use this method if you’re not blind baking your crust!

Also, if using a very liquid crust, prefer to use pie weights instead of poking the crust. In that case, using weights instead of docking prevents the bottom crust from becoming soggy.

Why don’t I include baking directions in the recipe card

Time and temperature will vary a lot depending of the recipe you’re making and the dish you’re using to bake your pie. Follow the recipe direction you’re using for a better result.

If you’re blind baking using a ceramic dish, here’s what I do:

• Preheat oven at 450°F.
• Bake for 15 minutes, using pie weights or a fork to dock to prevent the formation of bubbles and pockets in the crust.

Storing and freezing

This recipe can be made ahead of time. You can store it from 2 hours to 4 days inside your fridge. Cover well the whole disk before storing in the refrigerator.

Sourdough pie crust also freezes well. Wrap it well in plastic wrap, or store it in a freezer-safe bag, pushing out all the air before closing. It keeps for 3 months in the freezer.

More Sourdough Discard Recipes

Fluffy Pancakes
Sourdough Tortillas
Gourmet Sourdough Crackers
Pumpkin Pancake Cereal