Buttery, crisp, crumbly, and flaky, this is a good old-fashioned quiche and pie crust recipe, also known as pate brisee. Instructions provided through blind baking. At that point, continue on with your quiche recipe.
Process flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor for a few seconds until combined (Instead of food processor, you can do the whole process by hand, using a pastry cutter).
Add butter and pulse until mixture becomes crumbly and resembles coarse meal (different size of butter pieces or some large pieces is fine), about 15 pulses. Add 2 tablespoons water and keep pulsing, adding more water as needed, one tablespoon at a time, until the dough isn’t dry and starts to clump together.
Do not process to the point that a large ball of dough is formed, rather the dough should be quite crumbly with large clumps. Another way to check if it’s done, is to take a piece of dough and press it between your thumbs – the dough should stick well together without feeling dry or crumbly.
Turn the dough to a floured surface and form into a ball. It should come together easily without being sticky. Flatten ball slightly with your hands to form a 1-inch thick disc. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before proceeding.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a large, flat circle until it reaches your desired diameter. I rolled my dough to about 12.5" for my 10.5" shallow tart pan. I rolled out my dough to 12" for my 9" pie dish to leave enough overhang for a decorative crust. The dough will be quite thin, around ⅛".
Lift the dough gently and place it into your baking dish. Avoid putting too much pressure pressing the dough into the pan. Use a light and gentle touch. Trim any excess dough around the top edges of tart pan or crimp dough if using a pie plate. If you're concerned about the crust shrinking, you can place your dish in the freezer for about 30 minutes, wrapping it tightly with aluminum foil. Frozen dough is less prone to shrinking.
Preheat the oven to 375℉/190℃. Line the dough tightly with a layer of aluminum foil or parchment paper, covering the edges to prevent them from burning. Fill with pie weights, dried beans, or uncooked rice, making sure they're fully distributed over the entire surface.
Bake crust for 15-16 minutes or (17-18 minutes if frozen) and remove from the oven, gently lifting the foil and weights. Poke a few holes in the surface of the crust with a fork to remove any air pockets. If the crust needs a little more time, return it to the oven for 2-3 more minutes. It should be dry and very lightly browned. At this point the crust is only partially baked. Continue on to your favorite quiche recipe at this point to complete the baking process.
Make ahead instructions: If you don’t want to use the dough right away, you can refrigerate the dough disc for up to 3 days or freeze it for up to a month, then thaw it overnight in the fridge before using.
Refer to the "How to make quiche crust" article at rosechocolatier.com for full how-to instructions with step-by-step photos and helpful tips.