Working With Frozen Pie Crust

[Shel_B]

For our Valentine dinner, I'm planning to make a Chorizo, Red Pepper, and Potato Galette using a frozen pie dough

 

 

However, I've never used this ingredient.  I'd appreciate any suggestions on how to best use it.  Thanks!

[lesliec]

In this part of the world, such things usually come with suggestions printed on the packet.  But they're not hard to use, and probably the same as if you'd made it yourself yourself; a hot oven (200°C or so) until brown.

[Shel_B]

In this part of the world, such things usually come with suggestions printed on the packet.  But they're not hard to use, and probably the same as if you'd made it yourself yourself; a hot oven (200°C or so) until brown.

 

Sure, but since I've never used this stuff, and never made a pie dough, I don't know what more there is to know about handling, care, etc.  Is there a best way to unroll the dough?  A best temperature or consistency?  Best way to trim it?  Maybe some people have some tricks or tips to get specific results.  What's written on the box isn't always everything one needs to know to get good results.

[Thanks for the Crepes]

Shel_B,

 

If you have already bought a product like Pilsbury's Already Pie Crust or whatever they call them, it's too late to save you.

 

If not, buy a frozen pie crust. Even your grocery store brand will probably be better than anything you have to "unroll." Look at the expiration date on those refrigerator case "pie crusts." See how far out they are from the day you are buying?

 

This means their recipe is designed for shelf life, profit. Frozen crusts have no need for artificial ingredients and preservatives. They are also easier.

 

Also, knowing you from your posts a little, I think you'd find the ingredient lists on refrigerated pastry quite off-putting.

 

If you want to disguise your shortcut with a frozen crust, just pop it out of the aluminium pan and into your own pie pan. Thaw a little and crimp the factory produced crust by hand. You don't have to do that, of course; you can just use the preformed crust in the provided pan.

 

Please believe me. You do not want Pilsbury's or any other mainstream grocery store offering of refrigerated pastry, pizza crust or biscuits. They taste of the chemicals and preservatives, and are not worth the convenience.

 

Frozen tastes better, and you don't have to unroll anything.

[Shel_B]

Shel_B,

 

If you have already bought a product like Pilsbury's Already Pie Crust or whatever they call them, it's too late to save you.

 

If not, buy a frozen pie crust. Even your grocery store brand will probably be better than anything you have to "unroll." Look at the expiration date on those refrigerator case "pie crusts." See how far out they are from the day you are buying?

 

This means their recipe is designed for shelf life, profit. Frozen crusts have no need for artificial ingredients and preservatives. They are also easier.

 

Also, knowing you from your posts a little, I think you'd find the ingredient lists on refrigerated pastry quite off-putting.

 

If you want to disguise your shortcut with a frozen crust, just pop it out of the aluminium pan and into your own pie pan. Thaw a little and crimp the factory produced crust by hand. You don't have to do that, of course; you can just use the preformed crust in the provided pan.

 

Please believe me. You do not want Pilsbury's or any other mainstream grocery store offering of refrigerated pastry, pizza crust or biscuits. They taste of the chemicals and preservatives, and are not worth the convenience.

 

Frozen tastes better, and you don't have to unroll anything.

 

I am making a savory gallette, therefore a frozen or otherwise ready-made pie crust won't work.  I need the sheets.  The frozen pie crust I purchased has a reasonable, preservative and chemical-free, list of ingredients - it's not perfect, but it's not, at least by my definition, a "mainstream grocery store offering" as you suggest.

 

 

By comparison, the ingredient list for Pillsbury All Ready Pie Crust is:

 

Enriched Flour Bleached (wheat flour, niacin, ferrous sulfate, thiamin

mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), Partially Hydrogenated Lard with

BHA and BHT to Protect Flavor, Wheat Starch, Water. Contains 2% or

less of: Salt, Rice Flour, Xanthan Gum, Potassium Sorbate and Sodium

Propionate (preservatives), Citric Acid, Yellow 5, Red 40.

 

I've neither the temperament, time, equipment, nor the space to make my own pie crust for the upcoming dinner.

Edited January 29, 2015 by Shel_B (log)

[Thanks for the Crepes]

Good luck, Shel,

 

That sounds like a very acceptable list of ingredients.

 

I am curious where you got it, because it sounds like something I might use myself.

 

Other than that, it sounds like something you could just follow the instructions for any recipe calling for homemade pastry.

 

I'll say this, though, for savory and sweet applications, I like to prebake my pastry, even for recipes which undergo subsequent baking.  I truly do not like soggy pastry.

 

If you have edges/rims, though, you will want to use a pastry shield or foil to keep them from over browning.

[Shel_B]

That sounds like a very acceptable list of ingredients.

 

I am curious where you got it, because it sounds like something I might use myself.

 

[...]  I like to prebake my pastry, even for recipes which undergo subsequent baking.  I truly do not like soggy pastry.

 

If you have edges/rims, though, you will want to use a pastry shield or foil to keep them from over browning.

 

The dough I have is from Trader Joe's.  There's another one I'd like to try - it's French, and is considerably more expensive, but the review I read was positive.

 

I'll pay attention to your baking tips ... Thanks!

[Deryn]

Shel - I just did a search on TJ's pie crusts. Is this what you are using? http://www.blogher.com/storebought-pie-dough-showdown-do-any-compare-homemade?page=0,2

 

I still can't figure out how to just show the pic from that site (dl'd it to my computer but can't get it to post so I linked to the entire small review). You may want to read what this lady says anyway (about finding them crumbly and a bit too sweet for a savoury pie).

 

She also has several other links though to other sites where people claim they like these.

 

I would say though, if you are concerned about using a frozen pie crust, you may want to open the box and try it before a big dinner event. They are not a super expensive ingredient but yes, they can make or break your presentation (if not the whole dish) if they crumble too much. The crumbling may be only because they were frozen too long - don't know - but it may also be a recipe flaw. Really not much you can do to rescue a pre-made crust if crumbling does happen - other than just telling people it was meant to be 'really rustic' or 'deconstructed'.

 

If your pastry is folded, you will have to thaw it completely so you can roll or press the fold lines to be sure they are secure and/or don't cause holes in the base. If it is not folded, you should not have to do anything other than flop it out, fill and bake.

 

For a galette, I would put the box in the fridge for an hour or two to begin thawing (though crust like this should not take long to do that), open the box, flop it out on your baking tray, dock it, put in the filling (don't go to the edges or you will have no sides to fold p), fold up the edges for the rustic look, brush the folded up edges with an egg wash if you want, and bake as directed till done.

 

Your filling does not sound too wet so prebaking is not likely necessary - and in any case, if you prebake I am not sure how you will fold up the edges after the filling is in.

 

If your trial shows that the edges brown too much, cover them with a few strips of foil for the first few minutes of baking. If you want the edges shiny, brush with an egg wash before baking.

 

I am sorry I can't offer more because I never use pre-made crusts since whipping up a pie crust (particularly for a galette which is generally a rustic looking thing) is perhaps a 5 minute exercise requiring few ingredients, very little space and only one's hands to mix - and maybe a wine bottle to roll out if you don't have a rolling pin.  

 

If the frozen regular crust does not work, you may want to consider using frozen puff pastry (butter based if you can find it - TJs sometimes has it). If you use puff pastry, make sure you cut to size with a very sharp knife, straight down, so the edges will really puff up.

Edited January 29, 2015 by Deryn (log)

[Shel_B]

I read her comments a while back, and that's why I have another choice in mind.  TJ's has a pretty well-regarded puff pastry, but it's a seasonal item and it's not available now - I checked.  There is another brand - Dufour? - that's supposed to be quite good.  Spendy though. 

 

In any case, after dinner this weekend I'll start on the details of  the Valentine dinner.

 

Thanks for all your help.

Edited January 29, 2015 by Shel_B (log)

[Nancy in Pátzcuaro]

Oh, I don't know--I've always used a yeast crust for savory galettes. I like this one--

 

2 tsp. active dry yeast

1/2 tsp. sugar

1/2 c. warm water

3 TBS. olive oil

1 egg, lightly beaten

3/8 tsp, salt

1-3/4 c. flour, more if needed

 

Proof the yeast with the warm water and sugar until bubbly. Add the egg, oil, and salt, and then stir in the flour. When the dough is too stiff to mix with a spoon, turn out onto a lightly floured board and knead until smooth, about 4 minutes. (You can also do this in your food processor.) Set the dough aside in an oiled bowl, roll the dough around to coat it with oil, put a dish towel over it and let is stand until doubled, about 45 minutes to an hour depending on the temperature of your kitchen. Turn out and roll thin (this is important--otherwise your galette will be bready). Form your galette and bake.

 

I like galettes because they are so simple to make, and this yeasted dough relieves you of the need to make pie crust dough. Basically you're making bread, with an egg, and that's so much easier than pie crust. You can also add dried herbs to complement the filling.

 

Hope this works out for you--

 

Nancy in Pátzcuaro