Feed your sourdough starter and wait for it to become active, bubble, and to have doubled in size. (This step is optional, but highly suggested as it makes your crust tender and flaky)

Cut the butter into small cubes and place it in the freezer while you gather and measure the rest of your ingredients. You don’t want the butter to be frozen (that will just introduce extra water into your crust, which you do not want), you just want it to be really cold.

Measure the flour, sugar, and salt into a large bowl.

Cut the butter into the flour mixture with a pastry cutter or knife. You could also use your fingers, but make sure you work quickly to avoid melting the butter. Using a food processor is another option, too.

Add the active sourdough starter to the mixing bowl and gently stir with a rubber spatula until the starter and the flour are mostly combined. It might not come together perfectly with just the spatula, but should come together nicely after a knead or two. There is no liquid in this recipe other than the water already present in your starter.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead together just a time or two until the dough comes together nicely.

Divide the dough in half and shape into discs. Wrap each disc in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 45 minutes, or up to a few hours. Make your disc a little flat and thinner than it is thick, which will help you roll the chilled crust out.

When you are ready to bake, remove the disc from the fridge and let it rest on the counter for 10 minutes, just to take a little of the chill out of the dough and make it easier to roll. You want it to stay cold as this will help keep your flakey layers.

Place the dough on a lightly floured work surface (I like to use a silicone baking mat to roll out on) and use a floured rolling pin to roll out the dough to a circle of a ⅛” thickness. Roll from the center outwards, turning the crust 90 degrees around while you roll to help you get a nice circle that is at least 2” larger than your pie plate (this will leave room for the depth of the pie plate plus give you overhang for crust decoration).

You can use the rolling pin or your silicone baking mat to help transfer your crust to the pie plate. Use your hands to carefully press the dough into your pie plate. Don’t stretch or smash your dough, gently place and press.

Chill the rolled out crust in the fridge for 45-60 minutes minutes before baking.

Follow your recipe as directed for baking.