Nut Pie Pastry
- Makes : crust for one 9-inch pie or 10-inch tart
I recommend this crust for most pie recipes. Thanks to Lissa De Angelis, associate director of the Natural Gourmet Institute for Food and Health in Manhattan, for sharing it. It's a foolproof recipe that's easy to handle and full of good flavor. The nuts give it a special something -- use any kind you like.
If you have an extra pie plate, you might double the recipe and freeze one (either raw or baked) for future use.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
- 3/4 cup old-fashioned oatmeal (rolled oats)
- 1/2 cup finely chopped toasted almonds (blanching optional), walnuts, pecans, or sunflower seeds
- 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon or 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
- Pinch sea salt
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 3 to 4 tablespoons maple syrup (depending on desired sweetness)
- 1 to 2 tablespoons water (optional)
- Oil for preparing pie plate or tart tin
Directions
Step 1
In a bowl, blend the flour, oatmeal, nuts, cinnamon, and salt.
Step 2
In a liquid measuring cup, thoroughly whisk together the oil and syrup. (This can also be done in a blender.)
Step 3
Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the liquid. Stir with a fork to form a coarse dough, adding water if mixture seems dry. Do not overmix.
Step 4
Flour your hands and press the dough thinly into the bottom and sides of an oiled 9-inch pie plate or 10-inch tart tin. You will have to press quite firmly to make the dough spread to cover all surfaces. Patch any torn or thin spots with dough pinched from the edges and reflour your hands as necessary.
Your crust is ready to use for whatever type of pie you are making.
Notes
Easy Apple Pie:
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- When the oven is hot, prebake your crust for 5 minutes.
- Remove the crust from the oven and fill with apple slices.
- Optional: sprinkle with a little bit of sugar.
- Bake the pie for about 30 minutes. Check now and then to make sure the edges of the crust don't get too dark.
- Remove from the oven and enjoy either warm or cold. It goes great with vegan whip or ice cream.
Easy Berry Pie:
Follow the same steps as for the apple pie, but fill with your favorite berries. You can use a combination of strawberries, blueberries and blackberries, or any berries you like.
Recipe Source:
Lorna Sass' Complete Vegetarian Kitchen
Reprinted with permission from the author, Lorna Sass.
Photograph © Wanda Embar.
