PREMADE PIE CRUST

Steps:

• Chill the butter in the freezer for 15 minutes along with two identical 9-inch metal pie pans.
• In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the flour and salt to combine (about 4 pulses). Scatter the butter over the top of the flour and pulse until the texture looks mealy and no large lumps remain, 8 to 10 pulses. Add the ice water and pulse 5 times. At this point the mixture should just hold together when squeezed.
• Turn the dough out on a sheet of plastic wrap and draw the plastic up around it, squeezing and pressing the dough into a ball. Flatten into a disk approximately 1 inch thick and 5 inches in diameter. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Remove the dough from the refrigerator, unwrap, and place on a lightly floured sheet of parchment paper. Lightly flour the disk then top with another sheet of parchment. Roll with a rolling pin, with the dough between the two pieces of paper, turning the dough a quarter turn after every few rolls until the disk is 12 inches in diameter. (If the dough seems too firm to roll at first, let it sit for 5 minutes at room temperature to soften.)
• Retrieve the pie pans from the freezer and place one upside down on the counter. Remove the top layer of parchment from the dough disk and lift the bottom layer of parchment with the dough and set on top of the inverted pie pan. Invert the second pan, place over the dough, and press down gently to shape the dough. Trim away any excess dough with a paring knife.
• Flip both pans right-side up, lift off the top pan, peel away the last piece of parchment, and place the pan back on top, thus sandwiching the bare dough between the two cold pans. Return to the freezer for a minimum of 30 minutes. (See Cook's Note.)
• When ready to bake, heat the oven to 300 degrees F. Position a rack in the center of the oven and a second one just beneath it.
• Place the dough-pan sandwich upside-down directly on the center oven rack. Place an empty sheet pan on the lower rack to catch any butter that might render out. Bake for 1 hour, then increase the oven temperature to 375 degrees F. Bake 15 minutes more.
• Carefully remove the crust from the oven and let cool for 20 minutes with both pie pans in place. Invert so the pie pans are right-side up, remove the top pan, and continue to cool to room temperature. At this point, fill the pie or place back between the pans and keep at room temperature for up to 3 days. (Do not wrap in plastic if storing at room temperature.)