Flaky Sourdough Discard Pie Crust (Sweet or Savory)

Ingredients

• 350 gplain flour
• 14 ggranulated sugar
• 6 gfine sea salt
• 226 gunsalted butter, cold
• 230 gripe sourdough starter discard, 100% hydration
• 74 gcold water

Instructions

1. 1

   Mix the dough

   Whisk the flour, sugar and salt together in a large bowl. Cut the cold butter into small cubes, add them to the bowl and toss lightly to coat. Use a pastry blender or the back of a fork to work the butter into the flour until the pieces are about the size of small peas. Add the sourdough starter and water, then stir with a spatula until combined. The dough should just hold together; if needed, add more water a tablespoon at a time.

2. 2

   Chill the discs

   Scrape the dough onto a clean work surface and knead it until it comes together. Shape it into a disc, then use a bench scraper to divide it in half. Shape each half into a disc, wrap each tightly in cling film and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.

3. 3

   Roll the crust

   Take one disc from the fridge, unwrap it and place it on a lightly floured surface. Roll it into a round about 30 cm (12 inches) in diameter and fit it into the bottom of a pie dish. Repeat with the second disc to make the top crust.

What is sourdough discard pie crust?

Pie crust is a pastry casing for sweet or savoury fillings, and this American-style version uses sourdough starter discard alongside the familiar flour, butter and water. The discard brings a mild tang and helps use starter that might otherwise be thrown away.

This recipe makes two pastry discs, so you can use one for the base and one for a lid. The method keeps the butter in small pieces rather than blending it completely into the flour, which helps create a flaky texture.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 1685 calories, 24g protein, 177g carbs, 92g fat.

Most of the carbohydrates come from the flour and sourdough starter, while butter supplies most of the fat and saturated fat. The starter and flour contribute some protein, but this is pastry rather than a protein-rich part of a meal; balance a savoury pie serving with vegetables or salad.

The ingredients that matter

Cold butter: cut it into small cubes and keep it chilled so it stays in distinct pieces as you work it into the flour.

Sourdough discard: use ripe starter at 100% hydration, as specified, so its moisture and tang are accounted for in the dough.

Cold water: add the listed amount first, then only add extra a tablespoon at a time if the dough will not come together.

Keep the butter in small pieces

Butter the size of small peas is the target before adding the starter and water. A pastry blender or the back of a fork lets you cut it into the flour without melting it with your hands.

Stop once the pieces are roughly that size. Working the mixture until it looks smooth would lose the distinct butter pieces that give the crust its flaky character.

Bring the dough together gently

After adding the starter and water, stir until the ingredients are combined and the dough just holds together. It may look less uniform than a kneaded bread dough; that is fine for pastry.

Knead it only until it comes together on the work surface, then shape it into a disc. Avoid adding extra water unless the dough needs it to hold together.

Chilling makes rolling easier

Refrigerate the wrapped discs for at least 2 hours, or leave them overnight. This gives the dough time to firm up before rolling.

Work with one disc at a time and keep the other chilled. If the pastry becomes soft while you roll it, pause and return it to the fridge before continuing.

Rolling and using the crust

Roll each disc on a lightly floured surface to about 30 cm in diameter, turning it as needed to maintain a round shape. Fit the first round into the pie dish and use the second as the lid.

For a bottom-only crust, a galette or a crostata, halve the ingredients as noted in the recipe description. The method here does not include baking instructions, so follow the directions for your chosen pie filling.

Serving ideas

The dough is described as suitable for both sweet and savoury pies. Its restrained sugar and mild sourdough tang make it a flexible base for either kind of filling.

For a two-crust pie, use one pastry disc for the base and the other for the top. If making only a bottom crust, halve the batch rather than leaving extra dough unused.

Recipe notes & tips

• Keep the butter cold while cutting it into the flour.
• Aim for butter pieces about the size of small peas.
• Add any extra water a tablespoon at a time.
• Knead only until the dough comes together.
• Wrap each disc tightly before refrigerating.
• Roll one disc at a time and leave the other chilled.

Variations

• Sweet filling: use the crust with a sweet pie filling.
• Savoury filling: pair the pastry with a savoury pie filling.
• Bottom crust only: halve every ingredient for a single base.
• Galette: halve the batch if making one galette.
• Crostata: use half the ingredient quantities for a single pastry round.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Warm butter: chill it before mixing so it stays in pieces.
• Overworking the butter: stop cutting it in when the pieces are pea-sized.
• Adding too much water: add extra a tablespoon at a time and stop once the dough holds together.
• Skipping the chill: refrigerate the wrapped discs for 2 hours or overnight before rolling.
• Rolling both discs at once: keep the second one in the fridge while working with the first.

How to store

Keep the tightly wrapped dough discs in the fridge for up to 2 days. The recipe does not give freezing or reheating directions; for best results, roll and bake the pastry according to the instructions for your chosen pie.

Frequently asked questions