Whole-Grain Crust

Makes 12 5-inch crusts or 2 9-inch crusts

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 cups whole-wheat pastry flour
• 3 tbsp vital wheat gluten
• 2 tbsp ground flaxseed (aka flax meal)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 cup coconut oil
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. In a large bowl, mix together flour, wheat gluten, flaxseed, baking powder and salt. Cut in coconut oil with a pastry blender until mixture has small lumps the size of peas. In a small cup, mix vinegar with 3/4 cup cold water. Slowly add water mixture to flour mixture, stirring with a fork, and then gather dough into a ball with your hands. If dough is too dry and won’t stick together, add 1 tbsp more water, 1 tsp at a time, until it holds together. Let rest for 20 minutes, covered with a damp towel.
2. To make individual pies: Split dough into 12 balls. Roll out two-thirds of 1 ball into a circle. Place in a 5-inch pie plate. Keep remaining one-third of dough covered with a damp towel and set aside for top crust. Repeat with remaining balls of dough. To make 2 large pies: Split dough into 2 balls. Remove one-third of each ball and set aside, covered with a damp towel, until making top crust. Roll out the other two-thirds of one ball. Place in a 9-inch pie plate. Repeat with other ball, placing in second 9-inch pie plate.
3. Ladle filling into crusts until full, about ¾ to 1 cup for individual crusts, or 3 to 4 cups of filling for large crusts. Roll out each reserved dough ball into a circle and place top crusts over filling. Pinch edges to seal. Make slits in top of crust. Bake until crusts are brown and flaky, about 40 minutes for 2 large pies and 25 minutes for individual pies.

Nutrients per serving (1 5-inch pie or 1/6 of 1 large pie): calories: 309, total fat: 19 g, sat. fat: 2 g, monounsaturated fat: 3 g, polyunsaturated fat: 13.5 g, carbs: 29 g, fiber: 3 g, sugars: 1 g, protein: 7 g, sodium: 207 mg, cholesterol: 0 mg