Tough Pie Crust

You might wonder, "Why on earth would I want to make a tough pie crust?" There are good reasons:

Lovely, tender, flaky pie crusts have these qualities because of a lavish fat content.
With some care, this 'tough' crust can be quite acceptable.

Ingredients

• For a single crust pie, use 2½ cups of rolled oats
• OR 1½ cups rolled oats plus 1 cup plain wholemeal flour
• ¾ cup of water

Method

1. Put the dry ingredients into a food processor (but it can be mixed by hand). Process to reduce the oatmeal (but you can leave it whole if you want)

2. While the processor is running, add ¾ cup of water all at once.

3. It only takes a few moments; the texture should be smallish, soft lumps. If there is still loose, dry material, dump in 2 Tbl of water and process briefly.

4. Dump the contents into a lightly oiled pie dish, spread it around a little. Alternatively, it can be dumped out on a rolling pad and rolled into the correct size and shape. Then working quickly, begin pressing it down until it covers the bottom and sides in a thin layer. It can be baked before filling or filled while still in the raw state and then baked.

Surrounding Comments

• The most important point is to work quickly and handle as little as possible. If it is kneaded or over-worked, it WILL get tough.
• The oatmeal is an important ingredient, as it reduces the tendency to toughen.

Bill Scott