What do gravy, crepes and pie crust have in common? (Other than being delicious, obviously.) They can all be improved by one secret ingredient: instant flour.

Maybe you’re already aware of this magical ingredient. Aunt Annie was. She used instant flour all the time. It’s sometimes referred to as Wondra (a popular brand name), and is a finely milled, low-protein flour that’s been pre-cooked and dried out.

Because of this, it dissolves instantly and doesn’t clump when added to hot liquids like all-purpose flour does. It also means you don’t have to cook out that raw flour taste beforehand, which streamlines your overall prep time. Such a nice bonus considering all the time and energy holiday meals call for.

To cook with it, you just replace (1 to 1) instant flour for all-purpose flour. Use it in your gravy recipe to get it silky smooth and lump-free. It makes a super-crispy breading for fried fish or veggies, and because it dissolves so quickly, your Sunday morning crepe batter doesn’t have to rest as long before you get cooking.

But my absolute favorite application? Piecrust. Swapping it with all-purpose makes for a far flakier bite, thanks to its low-protein content. (Protein means gluten, and gluten means TOUGH crust.)

All this said, however, there is one thing you need to know about instant flour. It is not interchangeable for every recipe. Because it is a low protein flour, it won’t behave the same in recipes that rely on all-purpose flour for gluten formation (meaning chewiness). Breads or pizza dough are perfect examples. And because some baking recipes are so precise, you might not get the fudgy brownies you’re looking for if you swap.

But nonetheless, this is still an ingredient that will become a best friend in many instances. It’s the secret ingredient every pantry needs.

Now since I mentioned gravy (above, 1^st and 4^th paragraphs), I’ll close with a gravy secret I read on a favorite site, www.purewow.com. Knowing the expertise of our Cook’n readers, though, I’m sure some of you already do this. But for those that aren’t aware, read on:

For many people, gravy is somewhat of an afterthought. It’s the last thing that’s ladled into a bowl before the meal. But gravy touches everything on your plate, from the stuffing and the mashed potatoes to the green beans and the turkey.

So the moral of the story? Gravy deserves your attention. And there’s one ingredient that will ensure it turns out flavorful, rich and perfectly textured (no clumps!): white wine.

That’s right, in addition to the usual chicken broth, turkey drippings, butter, flour and seasonings, add a dry white wine like Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris or Sémillon. The folks at Pure Wow suggest adding the white wine to taste, bringing it to a simmer and allowing most of it to evaporate until you have ¼ cup wine left in your pan. Then add the broth.

Now as you get ready for your next holiday meal, stock up on some instant flour and a bottle of white wine. You can thank me later.