Whole Grain Gluten Free Pie Crust
- 1/3 cup butter* from pasture raised cows
- 1 cup whole grain, gluten-free flour**
- 1/4 tsp. unrefined sea salt
- 1 - 2 tbsp. cold water (I use my local milk)
When making a whole grain pie crust, I have found it much easier to make it in a food processor. The pie dough melds together really well and rolls out nicely. I have tried many methods: fork, fork and knife, pie pastry hand blender, etc. The best whole grain pie crust, for me, is made in a food processor.
I put in the flour, sprinkle the salt in, add butter in cold slices, and put the lid on. Turn the food processor on and drizzle the water or milk in through the top. When the dough balls up and is rolling about inside the canister, shut off the processor.
To roll the dough I sprinkle a bit of oat flour onto my pastry cloth and use the cotton sleeve on my rolling-pin. I bought my cloth pi making set at Evan's & White's Hardware store, Potsdam.
Roll out the pie dough and put it into the pie plate. I make a second recipe for the top crust. I have found it works best, for me, to make one crust at a time in the food processor. If I am going to make a lattice top, like the pie above, I just make a little extra dough and make one batch only. (Approximately 1 1/3 cup flour plus maybe and extra tbsp., 1/2 cup butter, 1/4 tsp. salt, and 2 tbsp. cold milk.)
Apple Filling
- 4 very large, organic Braeburn apples, or whatever your favorite flavor of organic apple. I prefer Pink Lady apples... but they are expensive so I save them for eating and buy a cheaper apple for pies.
- Slice into thin pieces, leave the nutritious peels intact on the apples
- 1/2 cup unrefined sucanat sugar
- 1 to 3 tsp. pure Ceylon cinnamon
- 1 tbsp. vanilla
- oat flour, say 1/4 cup, to thicken the apple juice so the pie is not runny.
Mix apples with rest of ingredients. Fill pie crust and top with 2nd crust or lattice top. Pop into the oven and bake for approximately 50 to 60 minutes at 350 F. Apples should be gently bubbling inside the pie, not running liquid all over the oven.
*I have been using Kerry Gold Butter from Ireland. I am not thrilled about using something transported from so far away. Local food is better!
I wish we had a farm cooperative in Northern NY that produced butter from pasture raised cows. However, I received a "tip" from Jessica Prosper of Prosper's Farmstead Creamery! I just ordered (from Nature's Storehouse Wholeshare) 5 lbs of pasture raised butter from a farm cooperative in New York State: Kriemhild's Dairy. They are not in Northern NY State, but hey, they are not in Ireland either! Thanks for the tip Jessica!
**I use mostly gluten free oat flour in pie crusts. This one also had millet, quinoa, teff, and amaranth flours. Then I added in a 1/4 cup of dark buckwheat flour.
The oat flour will make a smooth crust. Add in the millet, quinoa, amaranth, and teff and the crust gets textured... grainy. If you are not used to this in whole grains, I am just warning you! The buckwheat flour has a very strong flavor. Very yummy, but again, if you are not used to this flavor it is a big leap from refined, white flour pie crust pastries. I find them flavorful, a true taste sensation as compared to white flour crusts that to me taste like baked wall paper paste. Enjoy the yummy, new flavors on your taste buds.
The pie is very yummy and full of whole-cell regenerating, healthy, whole foods. No refined flours and sugars depleting the health of the body cells in my home! I encourage you to read and learn about feeding your body cells with whole food to prevent and heal lifestyle related diseases. It is nature's plan!
