Pâte brisée (French pie crust) is the basic pie dough used in France.  It is amazingly simple and so quick to make.  Pâte brisée literrally means broken (brisée) dough (pâte).  But there is nothing broken about this French pie crust, it is tender and so buttery – just delicious!  A pâte brisée is perfect for fruit pies but also any sweet tart recipes in lieu of a pâte sablée (French sweetened pastry) or a pâte feuilletée (puff pastry) such as the one used in our popular light French apple tart recipe (tarte légère aux pommes).  This French pie crust is also widely used in savory tart recipes (quiche lorraine, tarte à l’oignon, etc.).  We use store bought pie crust as well but it only takes 5 minutes to make a French pie crust so when we can, we make our own.  This pâte brisée recipe has been part of the Art of the Home recipe collection for decades and made the happiness of many “gourmands” and “gourmandes”!  We hope you’ll enjoy it too!

French Pie Crust: Pâte Brisée Recipe

Homemade French Pie Crust – Pâte Brisée Maison

French Pie Crust: Pâte Brisée Recipe

Check below for our detailed French pie crust recipe as well as Art of the home suggestion.  Happy baking!

French Pie Crust (Pâte Brisée)

by Art of the Home

Ingredients (for one 9 to 10 inch pie)

• 2 cups of sifted flour
• 1 and 1/4  sticks of soft butter cut in small pieces
• 2-3 Tbsp of water
• 2 pinches of salt

Directions

1. In a mixing bowl, mix sifted flour and salt together.  Make a well in the middle of the flour and put the pieces of soft butter inside that well.
2. With the tips of your fingers, mix the flour and the butter — you will get a crumbly mixture.  Then add the water, 1 Tbsp at a time and start lightly kneading it with your hand (using the heel of you hand) and form a ball.  The key is not to knead the dough too much (that releases the gluten which toughens up the dough).  Knead it just enough so it forms a ball that holds together. Tightly wrap the ball in a plastic film and refrigerate for about 1 hour before rolling it.