EASY PIE DOUGH - Finding Community In Tasmania
+ How To Handle Your Dough!
Skip To The Recipe:
Easy Pie Dough | Printable PDF
One might assume that the most wonderful parts of life in rural Tasmania are the rugged mountain landscapes, picturesque lakes, and quiet tranquility. While I certainly enjoyed all these parts of the experience, what truly made it wonderful were the people I got to meet along the way.
When I accepted a chef job in the mountains of rural Tasmania, I knew full well that I was stepping into the unknown, placing immense trust in my own judgement and the people with and for whom I’d be working. At the time, I did not own a car and was essentially signing up to be stranded in the middle of nowhere, relying on my employer and community members to help me settle. They were all complete strangers to me. It was risky. And yet I never doubted that it would all work out. Even before I arrived, I could tell that I was walking into a warm, welcoming community.
I had been right, everything did work out, but I never could have predicted just how lucky I had been. From driving my partner and I to the next town over for weekly grocery runs, to helping me find a car to purchase, we were surrounded by generous, helping hands.
The support and creative agency my employer afforded me helped me to grow in my capacity as a chef. I went from nervously presenting my first brunch specials, questioning whether anything I could produce would be adequate, to confidently churning out multiple weekly specials, catering an AFL event, and hosting private parties at the cafe.
Despite the remote location and our incredibly small team, we would find the cafe full, bursting at the seams with travelers and folks from the next town over. We worked seamlessly together, communicating and supporting each other during busy services as if we already had years of experience working with one another.
I got to know all of the cafe’s regulars, many of whom were icons in their small, artistically driven town. There was a man who came every Sunday, always dressed entirely in orange. A couple who would bring both their dog and cat on leash to dine in a cozy nook of the cafe affectionately called “the shed”. A geologist who would gather local minerals to create her own paints for her art. The local veterinarian assistant, who also worked as our kitchen hand, and her wonderful family. My employer, who has lived a vibrant life of adventure, and inspirationally, continues to do so.
We also met countless travelers, many of whom were living and working in the town, just like me. There was a witchy girl from Alabama. A couple from California, one working with me in the cafe as a barista and the other hosting rafting tours down the King River. And a group of travelers from Argentina and Spain. And that’s not including the endless stream of local and international travelers passing through the cafe on their own respective journeys. I met people from Scandinavia to Mexico and everywhere in between. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would meet so many people from so many places in such a small town.
We built friendships, shared laughs, supported one another, and found community faster than I have anywhere else. Perhaps it is partially due to the nature of a small town, especially one so remote. Everyone in the community comes together for each other. Everyone looks out for eachother. And to think that I was immediately embraced in that community and to become a part of it in one short summer, is truely one of the most magical expiriences of my life. It stands as a testimate to my longstyanding belife that the best part about travel is the people you meet along the way. And often times, the most memorable meetings involve the sharing of a meal.
Easy Universal Pie Dough
This week’s recipe functions as a building block for recipes that will be released in the coming weeks. It is an easy, universally applicable, American-style pie dough that requires no special equipment to make. I relied on this dough for several of my specials at the cafe in Tasmania.
Video Tutorials From My Socials
Rolling Out Pie Dough
Lining A Pie Tin
Blind Baking
Notes:
Getting ahead: Whenever I make pie dough, I always make extra to use the next time I need it. Doubling or even tripling the recipe for just the dough itself takes just as long to make as a single batch, so it’s simply more efficient to make extra. After you wrap the individual dough disks in plastic wrap, freeze them for later use. If I am freezing the dough for more than a week, I like to wrap it in two layers of plastic, freeze it, then store the plastic-wrapped disks in a freezer bag for maximum longevity. Alternatively, if you have an extra pie tin and freezer space, you can roll out your extra dough ball, line the tin, freeze it, then double-wrap it in plastic so it’s 100% ready to be made into pie!
Water amounts: There are two main reasons why you may use a different amount of water than me when you make your dough. First, different flours can have different absorption rates. Even if a flour is labeled as “all-purpose,” there will still be variation from brand to brand. Second, is the water content of your butter. Different brands of butter will have different water contents, which will impact the amount of hydration your dough needs.
Freeze before baking: We freeze the pie shell before baking because it helps the dough maintain its structure and results in a more flaky crust.
Did you end up making this recipe? Send a photo to my Instagram or subscriber chat! I love seeing what you guys make!
I needed your instructions and recipe. I’ve tried making pie dough before not knowing any of the tricks. Your instructions will help me immensely. Thank you.
I also loved your Tasmania story about the people you met. Sounds like a place I’d love to live.