Easy Whole Grain, Shortening-Free Pie Crust

Photo: Natalie (Perrys' Plate)

Ingredients

1/4 cup ice water

1 egg

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

12 tablespoons butter (1 ½ sticks), frozen

Preparation

Fill a drinking glass with water and stick a few ice cubes in it while you grate the frozen butter. Place butter in the freezer until you're ready to use it.

Whisk together the flour and salt in a medium-sized bowl. Take the ice water and measure out 1/4 cup into a 1-cup measuring cup. Crack the egg into the measured i ce water and beat with a fork.

Grab the grated butter from the freezer and dump it into the dry ingredients. Using your fingers, break up the butter if it clumps together to thoroughly combine everything. Pour in the egg-water mixture and stir with a hefty spoon. Add a tablespoon or two of water if it seems dry.

Gather all the dough into one lump. Divide it in half. If you're not using both crusts, wrap one half in plastic wrap, place it in a freezer bag and freeze it. Or put it in the fridge if you plan on using it within a couple of days.

Using a wet washrag or your wet hands, moisten the countertop and place a piece of wax paper over top. It shouldn't slide anywhere. Sprinkle flour over the wax paper and place your dough ball in the center, flattening it like a disk. Start rolling it out, working from the center to the outsides.

Turn your pie plate upside down on the dough and cut dough with a sharp knife about an inch larger than the pie plate.

Remove the dough from the wax paper by rolling the dough up onto the rolling pin while peeling away the paper underneath. Gently lift the dough up and over to the pie plate, centering it as you unroll it from the rolling pin.

Press the dough into the pie plate, but don't stretch it. (I'll shrink when it bakes.) Fold the ragged edges of the pie crust under the side of the plate. If you want, you can flute the edges. If you're making an apple pie or something where the crust isn't pre-baked, it's ready to use.

If you're baking the crust by itself, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and poke a lot of holes in the bottom of the crust with a fork to keep it from bubbling up. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the edges just barely start to turn b rown. (Don't let the raw dough sit out for too long before you bake it. Stick it in the fridge if you need to wait for the oven to heat up.)

Makes two pie crusts.

Nat's Notes:

You can find whole wheat pastry flour in the bulk section or in the baking section of well-stocked grocery stores. Or online. You can buy anything online.