SOUR-CREAM PIE PASTRY

1 3/4 cups flour

1 tablespoon sugar

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1/3 cup sour cream

2 teaspoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons cold water

Milk for dusting

Sugar for dusting

Blend: In a large bowl whisk together flour, sugar and salt. Tumble in butter, cut into small cubes. With quick fingers, work butter into flour until bits range in size from specks to peas. Set aside.

Stir together sour cream, lemon juice and cold water. Pour cream mixture over flour mixture. Toss with a fork to form lumps. If the pastry looks dry, drizzle on 1 to 2 tablespoons cold water. Turn out, knead once or twice. Divide pastry into 2 discs, 1 slightly larger than the other. Wrap and chill at least 1 hour.

Weave: Roll out the smaller round of chilled pastry into a 9-inch circle. Using a pastry wheel, slice into strips 3/4-inch wide. Line a baking pan with parchment or waxed paper. Calmly weave a lattice onto the paper. Brush with milk, sprinkle with sugar. Slide pan into the freezer for at least 15 minutes.

Roll: Roll out the larger round of pastry into an 11-inch circle. Fit into a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Chill.

Provenance: I learned the prewoven lattice trick from The All-American Dessert Book by Nancy Baggett. The rest comes from off-season pie cravings.