Best Sprouted Wheat Pie Crust Recipes

THE PERFECT SPROUTED WHOLE WHEAT PASTRY CRUST

Steps:

• Combine the flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar in your food processor. Pulse to incorporate.
• Cut the butter into 1-tablespoon chunks and drop them into the flour mixture. Pulse again until the butter is the size of grainy sand.
• Add the yogurt and pulse until the dough comes together. Depending on the yogurt you may need a little ice water. If the dough won't stick together at all, add ice water 1 teaspoon at a time until it will just hold together.
• Dump the dough out on a work surface and stack it several times to incorporate any dry ingredients. Stacking is different from kneading. To stack, break the dough in half and stack one half on the other before pushing it down. Do this several times until the dough is consistent. Be careful not to overwork the dough or get it too warm with your hands.
• Gently gather the dough together. Cut it in half and shape each half into a disk. Wrap each disk well with wax paper, parchment, or plastic wrap. Keep the dough in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or store it in the freezer for future use. To use the pastry dough the same day, refrigerate it for at least 1 hour.
• Remove the pastry dough from the refrigerator 30 minutes before rolling and shaping as desired.

SPROUTED WHEAT PIE CRUST

Steps:

• 1. Make a cup or so of ice water with a dash of vinegar added (I prefer Bragg's vinegar, but any will do).
• 2. Mix together flour and salt.
• 3. Cut in butter and shortening to make small pieces.
• 4. Sprinkle in 1 Tablespoon of water at a time and gently mix with a fork. Repeat until all is mixed and forms a ball.
• 5. Cut ball in half.
• 6. Between two sheets of wax paper (floured slightly if needed), flatten ball with a rolling pin to desired thickness.
• 7. Peel off one side of the wax paper, transfer to a pie plate, and peel off the other side of the wax paper.
• 8. Trim and crimp edges.
• 9. Freeze or cook as pie recipe indicates.

WHOLE WHEAT OR SPELT PIE CRUST

Steps:

• In a food processor, pulse the flour and salt 5 or 6 times to fluff up the flour with air. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Do not overmix. Add the ice water and process by pulsing until the mixture just starts to stick together (if processed too much, the dough won't be flaky).
• Divide the dough in half and flatten slightly into 2 disks. Flour the dough a little and place each disk between 2 pieces of waxed paper. Wrap well with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour or more, until ready to use. Place 1 disk on a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough into a circle about 2 inches larger than the pie pan. This dough is easy to roll out thinly.
• To prevent cracks or tears, lift the dough by rolling it back onto the rolling pin, then roll it over your dish. Gently press the dough into the bottom of the pie pan. Fill the pie with the filling of your choice. Roll the second crust and place over the filling. Press the edges together and flute by pinching the dough together with 2 fingers. Cover the edges of the crust with strips of aluminum foil to prevent the crust from getting too brown. Remove the foil during the last 5 to 10 minutes of baking.
• For a prebaked bottom crust, preheat the oven to 350°F. Prick the bottom and sides of the crust with a fork. Bake for about 10 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool before filling.