Description

This recipe, with ripe sourdough starter discard, yields a wonderfully tender and flaky crust. Even with the starter, there’s minimal sour flavor in the end.

I used fresh milled, whole grain white Sonora flour from Hayden Flour Mills for this crust. It’s a lower protein flour that has a wonderfully mellow flavor (as I’ve noted in my sourdough bread with white Sonora post) and works so well in this recipe. White whole wheat, or even all-purpose flour, would also work well.

Ingredients

295g (2.5 cups) fresh milled white Sonora flour, all-purpose flour, or white whole wheat flour
2 sticks (227g) cold European style butter cut into half-inch pats
1 tablespoon granulated sugar (optional)
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 cup (200g) ripe liquid sourdough starter
A splash of cold water

Instructions

Measure out 1 cup ripe sourdough starter and place it into the fridge to chill.
Add the flour, salt, and sugar to a large mixing bowl and stir to combine.
Add the sliced butter to the bowl and lightly toss with a spatula until you coat the butter with flour.
Using a pastry blender, cut the butter into the flour until there are only small bits of butter remaining.
Add the chilled 1 cup sourdough starter, cider vinegar, and a few splashes of cold water to the mixing bowl. Stir with a spatula or the pastry blender until well combined. Add more water here if necessary: you want the dough to come together when squeezed with your hands, but it should not be overly wet.
Dump the contents of the bowl onto your bench and gather it into a large disc.
If using the full recipe, divide the disc into two, form into two smaller discs, and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate the discs for at least 2 hours (preferably overnight) before using.

Notes

I usually freeze half of this dough for an impromptu fruit delivery so I can quickly whip up a pie or galette. To freeze, wrap tightly in plastic wrap then place a disc into a freezer bag and into the freezer. To defrost, take it out to the refrigerator overnight, then leave it out on the counter until pliable (don’t let it get too warm!).

If you want to make a single crust, halve all the ingredients.

When cutting the butter into the flour, take care not to overwork it, there should be some larger pieces (nickel-sized) and some smaller pieces (dime-sized or smaller).

Keywords: sourdough, pie, galette, crust, sourdough starter, starter discard