Brown the butter

Set the butter in a light-colored frying pan over medium heat. The butter will melt, then start to sputter as the milk solids separate. Then it will start to foam as they toast and turn brown. Use a rubber spatula to stir the butter every few minutes, and scrape up the sides of the pan to ensure even browning. Once the butter mostly stops foaming and there are a ton of milk solids in the bottom, immediately transfer the butter to a heatproof bowl, scraping down the brown bits. Set the bowl in the fridge to solidify. If you remember, stir it after about 30-45 minutes so the brown butter bits are mixed into the creamy butter.

Once the butter is completely solid you can begin to make the pie dough:

In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the flour, sugar and salt. Chop the cold, firm butter into one inch slices and add them to the dough. Turn the mixer on low, and mix until the butter bits are about kidney bean sized.

Stop the mixer and feel the mix with your hands: if you spot pieces of butter that are too big, flatten them between your thumbs and fingers.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the sour cream, vanilla and water. Pour it into the bowl and turn the mixer on low. Once the dough comes together in a rough, shaggy and dry ball, it’s done.

Lay a sheet of plastic wrap on the counter and set the dough ball in the center. Loosely wrap the plastic around it. Turn it over and use a rolling pin to flatten it into an even layer, into a disk that’s about 4 inches wide. Roll the sides of the disk on the counter to flatten.

Chill the crust in the fridge for at least 2 hours or up to 48.