Whole Wheat Pastry Crust
based on sister pie’s standard crust
makes 2 pastry crust
Ingredients:
3 1⁄2 cups (455 g) White Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
1 tsp salt
1⁄2 cup + 2 Tbsp or more (150 ml) very cold water
1 1⁄3 cup (300g) very cold butter
Instructions:
In a small bowl add the salt to the water and stir to dissolve. Keep cold until ready to use. To make the dough by hand, put the flour in a mixing bowl. Cut the butter into 1 inch pieces and scatter the pieces over the flour. Using a pastry blender or two knives, cut the butter int the flour until the mixture forms large crumbs and some of the butter is still in pieces the size of peas. Drizzle the water-salt mixture and stir with a fork until the dough begins to come together in a shaggy mass. You may want to add another tablespoon or two of flour at this point if the dough isn’t coming together. Gently mix until the dough comes together into a ball but is not completely smooth. You should still be able to see some butter chunks.
On a lightly floured work surface, divide the dough into two equal balls and shape each ball into a disk 1 inch thick. Wrap well in plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Roll the dough out to a circle that is 2 inches larger than your pie pan, gently transfer the pie dough and fold the overhang under, and flute or crimp the edge if you like.
To blind bake the crust, first place in the freezer for 15 minutes. Then line the crust with foil, covering the crimped edge well but loosely, and fill with pie weights (old lentils or beans are a good choice). Place on a cookie sheet and bake in a 450 degree oven on the lowest rack, for 25 to 27 minutes. The crimps should be light golden brown when ready. Remove the pie from the oven and cool on a rack for 5-7 minutes before removing the foil and beans. Let cool completely before filling the pie.