What does blind bake mean (blind bake the pie crust)?

Sigh. I meant to type, "Cynthia."

What perfect instructions, Cyntia. lsgerman, the only other comment I'd add is that the reason for blind baking is to helps ensure that the bottom crust gets baked. If you add filling to an unbaked bottom crust, the moisture from the filling slows the baking of the bottom crust and the bottom crust can wind up soggy. By baking the bottom crust by itself for a short period, it gets a good head-start before you add the filling and a top crust, if you're using one.

It is a technique for baking a crust without a filling. First, preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Once rolled, drape your crust into your pie pan, and crimp a nice decorative edge. Drape a piece of plastic wrap over the crust and refrigerate for 30 minutes so that the gluten in the dough has a chance to relax. At the end of the rest period, remove the crust from the refrigerator and remove the plastic. Prick the crust all over the bottom and sides with a fork (this is known as "docking") so that as steam escapes when it is baked, it has someplace to go, and won't raise blisters in the crust. Cover the crust gently with a piece of foil, pressing it into place to fit the form of the pie pan. Fill it with dried beans or rice so that the crust is weighted into place. Bake it for 10 minutes, then remove the pie pan from the oven and carefully lift out the foil and beans. Return the crust to the oven and bake it for 12-15 more minutes, until it is golden brown all over. Let the beans or rice cool, then store them in a container to use them again for more pie crusts.