Wondering how to make a pie crust with spelt then this is an easy spelt flour pastry recipe to use for both sweet and savoury pie for a 23cm (9 inch pie or tart base). I always thought it was super hard to get the right texture for pastry and taste but it's easy with the right ingredients and method, I will never buy store bought pastry again. Make ahead of time and have in the fridge on stand by, to whip up a pie in no time. I leave out the sugar so I can use the pastry for either sweet or savoury. Perfect for a quiche base, savoury tart, sweet tart or fruit flan.
Ingredients (for one layer)
- Spelt flour (white or wholemeal) – 250g (about 2 cups)
- Chilled cubed butter – 125g (about 1/2 cup)
- Pinch of salt
- Egg Yolk – 1
- Cold water – 20ml (1 - 2 tbsp)
- Optional sugar for a sweet crust – 2-4 tbsp
How to Make the Pastry
- PASTRY mix the flour and butter together with your finger tips until it looks like small breadcrumbs. Then add in the water and egg until combined into a firm dough. You can use your stand mixer but I find that the result by hand far superior.
- PLACE the dough onto a floured surface and form a ball, flatten slightly and wrap in plastic wrap press to form a disc shape.
- CHILL in the fridge for 30-60 minutes. 60 minutes is ideal.
- TART – preheat the oven 160˚C fan, 180˚C 350˚F Gas Mark 4
- REMOVE from the fridge and roll out on a floured surface or a pastry mat about 5cm bigger than your pie or tart dish and aim to roll the dough is about 3mm thick.
- LINE a loose bottom tart tin (pre-greased) with the pastry, pressing the pastry on the edges of the tin, using a rolling pin.
- REMOVE from the fridge and cover with baking paper, and using baking beads to weigh down the paper, or rice.
- BAKE for 1o minutes. Remove the baking weight and paper and bake for a further 10 minutes.This process is called blind baking. This ensures that your pastry is golden brown and cooked.
- POUR the filling into the pastry shell.
Sue Maree P Baking Tips
- BLIND BAKING – You don't have baking weights. A tip I read recently Beatrix Bakes by Natalie Paul, line the raw pastry with foil and tucks the foil around the edges of the tin and fill with sugar (as a weight), then afterwards store the foil and sugar in a sealed container to re-use.
- EGG or not. I have made pastry both ways. When you add the egg yolk it adds colour and the pastry has a better 'melt in your mouth taste' when baked.
- WHOLEGRAIN vs WHITE – you may find that the texture is slightly drier and the pastry may crack. Add a little water to your finger tips and repair.
- FINGER TIPS instead of the whole hand creates lots of air circulating.
- BUTTER – cold butter gives you a flakier pastry.
- FREEZE dough – 8 weeks.
- CHILL for up to 3-4 days.