Whole Wheat Mediterranean Pie Crust Recipes

Steps:

• In a large bowl or in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle or a food processor fitted with the steel blade, combine the flours and salt and mix together. If using a bowl, make a well in the center, add the olive oil and mix in with a fork. If using a mixer or food processor, turn on and add the olive oil. When it is evenly distributed through the flour combine the water and vinegar or lemon juice and add it to the flour mixture with the machine running. The dough should come together in a ball.
• Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface, flour your hands and work the dough just until smooth and easy to shape into a ball. Do not overwork it or you will develop the gluten in the flour and the dough will be tough. Divide the dough in half, shape each half into a ball and press into a 1/2-inch thick circle. Wrap in plastic and let rest for 1 hour.
• Roll out the dough as needed for savory tarts, dusting your work surface and the top of the dough with flour to prevent it from sticking. Pre-bake and bake as directed in recipes calling for the crust.

Steps:

• Mix 3/4 cup flour, gluten, and salt together in a bowl. Cut shortening into flour mixture using a pastry blender until mixture is crumbly. Mix 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon water into the flour mixture using your hands until dough easily forms a ball; add more water if needed.
• Flatten dough into a pancake-like shape on a floured surface; sprinkle top of dough liberally with about 1 tablespoon flour. Roll dough, using a rolling pin, into a thin pie crust about 1-inch larger than your pie pan. Roll the crust onto the rolling pin and transfer to the pie pan.

Steps:

• Sift together the grain flour and starch. In a large bowl or in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle or a food processor fitted with the steel blade, add the salt and mix together. If using a bowl, make a well in the center, add the olive oil and mix in with a fork. If using a mixer or food processor, turn on and add the olive oil. When it is evenly distributed through the grain flour and starch, combine the water and vinegar or lemon juice and add it with the machine running. The dough should come together in a ball. In most cases you won't need as much water as is required for wheat flour dough, because the grain flours don't absorb as much, but each combination behaves a little differently. Divide into 2 equal pieces, shape into a flat circle and wrap tightly with plastic. The dough may be sticky, so flour your hands and work surface. Let rest for 1 hour.
• To line tart pans place the dough in the center of the pan and, pressing from the heel of your hand, press the dough out to the edges of the pan, then up the sides. It should be soft and easy to manipulate. Pinch an attractive lip around the edge of the pan and refrigerate uncovered until ready to use.

Steps:

• Standard method (by hand): In a medium bowl, stir together the flour and salt with a table fork. Taste it for salt. If you feel you need a little more, now is the time to add it. Dump the coconut oil into the middle of it and, before you do anything else, fill the cup you used for the coconut oil half way with ice, then add water until it is almost full. You want to give enough time for the water to get ice cold.
• Still using the same fork, cut the coconut oil into the flour mixture until it is in almost microscopic pieces. You want them to be very small and well integrated into the flour. At this point, pour just a couple of tablespoons of water into the flour mixture. Working quickly and lightly with the same fork, gently mix the water into just the section of the dough that the water hit when it went into the bowl. Add a couple of more tablespoons of water (just estimate with your eyes) in to another section of the flour mixture in the bowl and quickly mix it inches You may need to add more water to your ice in your cup.
• At this point, the dough may be trying to hold together a bit, and that's a good thing. Continue to work little bits of water in until the dough just starts to hold together fairly well when you press it with your hands.
• If you have a food processor, the process is even easier: Instead of mixing in a bowl, put the flour and salt into your processor with the blades attached and pulse to combine them. Unplug, then taste for salt (you don't want to whack your fingers off!). Now add in the coconut oil and fill the cup it was in with ice and water. While the water chills, pulse the coconut into the flour mixture until you can't see any chunks anymore. Adding just a tablespoon or two at a time, pulse the water into the flour mixture. When it just begins to hold together, you are ready to shape it.
• At this point, regardless of the mixing method, turn the dough out onto a floured surface, keeping the water nearby. Roll the dough out, aiming for a round-ish shape. Be prepared- it is probably going to crumble a bit. That is what the remaining water is for. Use the cold water as glue to hold pieces of dough together and continue flouring (to keep it from sticking to the rolling pin) and rolling until the dough is the thickness and size you want for your pie plate. You don't want to over-roll, as handling it too much will toughen it, but do roll it wide enough for about an inch of hangover on the sides once it is in the pan.
• Gently fold the dough around the rolling pin and use it to transfer the dough to the pie plate. Carefully press the dough into the bottom of the plate and shape the edge of your crust however you want (I usually roll mine under and pinch it to seal and make a pretty edge). It's probably not going to look picture-perfect, but this is the sign of a homemade crust.
• Continue on with whichever your recipe you are making. This works as well for a quiche or pot pie as it does for a dessert pie.
• If you have leftover pie crust, roll it out again and cut it into short strips (shape does not matter). Sprinkle with cane sugar and cinnamon and bake in the oven at 375 for 8-10 minutes, or until light brown. If you have small children this is a great time to give them your already dusty cutting board and rolling pin, along with some cookie cutters and whatever else you trust them with, and let them make their own "pie crust cookies". You don't need to worry about them nibbling dough, as there is nothing in this that will really hurt them. (Although they may not be hungry for dinner.) My kids used to have a lot of fun doing this! I would always bake their creations and let them have them as a special treat.

Steps:

• Combine flours and salt in a bowl.
• Cut butter into small pieces and add to bowl with shortening. Using a pastry blender or fork, cut butter and shortening into flour mixture until you achieve a grainy coarse appearance.
• Combine water and lemon juice, then slowly add to flour mixture as you toss gently with a fork until moist. Do not over mix.
• Press mixture into a ball, cover completely with plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350º. Cooking time will vary depending on what you're using it for.
• Roll dough on lightly floured surface.
• Makes top and bottom crust for a 9" pie or bottom only for a 13x9 sized dish for chicken pot pie or something of that sort.

Steps:

• Place oats in the bowl of a food processor; pulse until finely ground.
• Transfer ground oats to a medium bowl; stir in flour, sugar, and salt. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or two knives until mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons water. Blend with a fork until mixture holds together, adding up to 1 tablespoon more water if necessary.
• With minimal shaping, form dough into a ball and place on a lightly floured sheet of waxed paper. Place another sheet of waxed paper on top and roll dough into a 1/8-inch thick circle large enough to fit a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate. (This dough breaks more easily than a white flour dough; the wax paper helps with that.)
• Remove top sheet of waxed paper and invert dough into the pie plate. Slowly peel away remaining sheet of waxed paper and trim any excess crust. Turn dough edge under and crimp as desired.
• Crust is ready to fill. See notes if your recipe requires a pre-baked crust.