Cardamom-Buttermilk Pie

Recipe by Anna Gill

Makes one 10” pie

1½ cups plus 3 tbsp. flour
1 tablespoon plus 1 cup sugar
½ teaspoon fine salt
10 tablespoons sweet butter, cut into ½ inch cubes & rechilled
4 tablespoons sweet butter, melted
2-4 teaspoons icy vodka
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
3 egg yolks
1 cup sour cream
2 cups buttermilk
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1. Combine in a large sealable plastic bag 1½ cups flour, 1 tablespoon sugar, ¼ teaspoon salt and cold butter and put into your freezer for at least 2 hours. 
2. Turn the freezer bag's contents out into a food processor; pulse until chunks of the butter have been reduced to the size of large peas.
3. Add vodka in 1 tablespoon increments to flour mixture and pulse briefly to moisten and incorporate. Form the dough into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
4. Heat oven to 400°.
5. On a well-floured, chilled if possible, surface, roll dough out to a 13" circle about 1⁄8" thick. Fit into a 10" pie pan; cut away excess dough, leaving a 1½ " border. Tuck the overhanging dough underneath itself to form a thicker edge. With your fingers, pinch the edge all around. Cover and chill for 1 hour.
6. Prick bottom of dough with a fork; line with foil and fill with pie weights.
7. Bake the pie shell for 10 minutes. Remove the weights and foil and bake until light brown, about 10 minutes more. Let cool on a rack.
8. Whisk together remaining flour and salt with the melted butter, cardamom, egg yolks, and sour cream.
9. Beat in remaining sugar, buttermilk, zest, and lemon juice.
10. Pour into cooled pie shell, place in oven, and reduce heat to 325°.
11. Bake until pie is set on the edges but slightly wobbly in the center, about 1 hour. Let pie cool completely on a rack and refrigerate. When cool to the touch, serve the pie.