Sour Cream Dough / Pie Crust / Turnover Shells

1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt (or 1/4 teaspoon salt if using salted butter)
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick or 1/4 cup) butter
1/3 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon milk, plus more as needed

Heat the oven to 425° F if baking the pie shell or turnovers.

Place the flour, salt, and butter in a bowl or in the bowl of a food processor - cut the butter into the flour, by hand or machine, until the mixture resembles coarse bread crumbs.  The pieces will be a bit irregular and will vary in size.  Add the sour cream and mix with a fork, or process again quickly in the machine.  Sprinkle 1 tablespoon milk over the dough and again stir lightly with a fork, or process.  Gather the dough together in your hand - it will be very smooth.  If it holds together without crumbling, it is ready to be rolled out.  If the dough does not hold together when pressed, add a few drops of milk and stir to distribute.  The dough should be quite soft but not sticky.  

For pie crust:
Form the dough into a cake about 1 inch thick.  Dust your rolling surface very generously with flour.  Roll the dough into a thin circle, about 1/8-1/16 inch thick, that is at least 2 inches larger in diameter than the inverted pie pan.  Transfer the dough to the pie pan, trim and flute the edges, and the pie shell is ready to be filled for baking or to be partially baked or fully baked.  

To bake the pie crust - prick all over with a fork at 1/2-inch intervals.  Press a 12-inch square of heavy duty foil snugly into the pie crust and bake for 6 minutes.  Remove the foil and continue baking for 4 more minutes for a partially baked pie shell, or 8 to 10 minutes for a fully baked shell.  Check the pie crust once or twice during baking and, if it puffs or swells out of shape, poke it gently with the tines of a fork.

For turnover shells:
Roll dough to 1/8 inch thick.  With a round cutter about 4 1/2 inches in diameter, cut out as many pieces as you can.  Gather up the scraps, press them together, and re-roll to cut the remaining rounds.  

To bake the turnovers - place about 2 tablespoons filling on each round.  With your fingertips, moisten the edges of the dough with water and fold each round over to form a half-moon shape.  Press the edges gently together with your fingers, then press them together with the tines of a fork.  Brush the turnovers with cream, and sprinkle with sugar if filling is sweet.  Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (or a baking sheet that has been lightly greased and floured), leaving at least 1 inch between.  Bake for about 20 minutes, or until lightly browned.  

Makes enough for one 9-inch pie shell, or about 8+ 4-inch turnovers

From The Fannie Farmer Baking Book by Marion Cunningham