Rye Pie Crust Recipes

RYE PIE CRUST

Steps:

• Combine the all purpose and rye flour with the salt, pepper and sugar. Whisk together to mix the ingredients evenly.
• Using your fingers, cut the shortening into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse corn meal. Using your fingers, toss the butter into the flour mixture. Allow the slices of butter to break up into slightly smaller pieces into the flour. Work quickly so the butter doesn't get warm. Don't break the butter down completely. There should be some large flakes remaining.
• Pour the water onto the flour all at once and toss to combine. Knead the dough just until it comes together.
• Wrap the dough and refrigerate for at least 2-3 hours before using.

RYE PIE CRUST

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450°. In small bowl, mix flour and salt. Using a fork, cut in shortening until mixture is the size of peas. Sprinkle with water, one tablespoon at a time. Blend lightly with fork until all flour is moistened. Roll out on a floured board. Carefully lift pastry into pie shell. Prick pastry several times on the bottom and sides with fork. Bake 10 to 12 minutes.

PECAN-RYE PUMPKIN PIE

Steps:

• Crust:
• Whisk rye flour, sugar, salt, and 1½ cups all-purpose flour in a large bowl to combine. Add butter and toss to evenly coat. Working quickly and aggressively, use your fingers to rub butter into flour to create large shaggy pieces of dough (you want some pieces of butter that are flat and thin and some that are large and chunky). Drizzle 5 Tbsp. ice water over, running your fingers through flour mixture to evenly distribute. Knead dough in bowl until it starts to come together (it should look a little dry, but add more ice water by the teaspoonful if needed, just until dough comes together).
• Turn dough out onto a work surface and knead 1 or 2 more times, pressing to incorporate shaggy edges and any loose bits. Dust surface and dough lightly with flour to keep dough from sticking. Using your hands, form dough into about a 7x5" rectangle. Using your rolling pin, gently tap and press dough to compact and tidy up edges. Roll out dough, dusting dough and surface as needed, until 3 times longer than when you started. Fold dough over onto itself in thirds like a letter to make a square. Wrap in plastic and chill until firm, at least 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 400°F. Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to about a 12" round. Wrap dough around your rolling pin and unfurl into a standard 9"-diameter pie dish. Gently lift dough so it slumps down into edges of dish. Trim overhang and crimp as desired. Line crust with parchment paper or foil. Place dish on a rimmed baking sheet and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until edges of crust start to brown, about 20 minutes. Remove parchment and weights. Decrease oven temperature to 350° and bake crust until edges are golden, 20-25 minutes. Remove dish from oven and brush 1 Tbsp. egg white over bottom of crust. Return to oven and bake until crust is golden brown, 5-10 minutes (the egg creates a water-resistant coating that helps prevent the custard from making the bottom soggy). Reserve remaining egg white for topping.
• Do Ahead: Dough can be made 3 days ahead; keep chilled. Crust can be baked 3 days ahead; store tightly wrapped at room temperature.
• Filling and assembly:
• While your crust is baking, combine eggs, egg yolk, pie filling, cream, granulated sugar, whiskey, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cardamom, cloves, 6 Tbsp. brown sugar, 2 Tbsp. butter, and ½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt in a large bowl and blend with an immersion blender until smooth; try not to aerate. (Alternatively, you can whisk mixture well and blend in 2 batches in a blender until smooth and homogenous.)
• Pour into crust and bake pie (still at 350°F) until filling is puffed and mostly set with just a slight wobble in the center when gently shaken, 40-45 minutes.
• Just before the pie is done baking, toast pecans on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing once, until slightly darkened and fragrant, 8-10 minutes.
• Whisk reserved egg white, remaining 2 Tbsp. brown sugar, and remaining ¾ tsp. salt in a small bowl until foamy, about 30 seconds. Add syrup and remaining 1 Tbsp. butter; whisk just to combine. Add pecans and toss to coat.
• Carefully remove pie from oven and top with pecan mixture, allowing any excess egg white mixture to drip back into the bowl. Return pie to oven and bake until filling is completely set (a tester or paring knife inserted into the center should come out clean) and nuts are not tacky to the touch, 8-10 minutes. Transfer pie to a wire rack and let cool, at least 2 hours. Serve with whipped cream if desired.
• Do Ahead: Pie can be baked 1 day ahead. Store uncovered in a cool oven or at room temperature.

GOAT CHEESE, HONEY, AND RYE CRUST PIE

Steps:

• Make the pie dough:
• Mix 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, rye flour, salt, and sugar in a large bowl. Add 1/2 cup butter and rub into dry ingredients with your fingertips until mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs; it's fine if some larger, flat pieces of butter remain. Add vinegar and 3 Tbsp. ice water. Mix with a spoon until a rough dough forms, adding more water by the tablespoon if it seems dry. (Alternatively, dough can be made in a food processor.)
• Turn dough out onto a work surface and gather into a ball, folding it over onto itself once or twice if needed. Shape into a disc, wrap in plastic, and chill at least 1 hour.
• Arrange rack in bottom third of oven; place a rimmed baking sheet on rack. Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease 9" pie pan with butter. Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to a 13" round. Roll dough loosely around rolling pin, then unfurl into pan. Gently lift and settle dough into pan. Trim excess dough with scissors, leaving a 1" overhang. Crimp as desired. Chill dough at least 30 minutes.
• Line shell with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or beans. Place on preheated baking sheet and bake until crust is set and beginning to brown, 20-25 minutes. Remove weights and parchment, prick bottom of crust all over with a fork, then continue to bake until crust is golden brown and dry to the touch, 5-10 more minutes. Transfer pie pan to a cooling rack to cool slightly; return baking sheet to oven.
• Make the filling:
• Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Beat chèvre and cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until incorporated. Add honey, sugar, and vanilla and continue to beat on medium speed until creamy. Add eggs one at a time, beating on low speed until incorporated. Add milk and beat on low speed until incorporated.
• Pour filling into pie shell, return to preheated baking sheet, and bake until filling is mostly set but center jiggles slightly, 35-40 minutes. Remove from oven, place another pie pan or rimmed baking sheet upside down on top of pie, and let cool to room temperature. (The inverted pan helps keep the filling from cracking as it cools.) Then chill until set, about 1 hour.
• Make the apples:
• Melt butter in a large nonstick pan over medium heat. Add apples and toss to coat. Cook 2 minutes, then add honey, thyme, and salt. Cook, tossing carefully to avoid breaking up apples, until apples are softened and caramelized and sauce has thickened, 10-15 minutes.
• Serve pie slightly chilled or at room temperature with apple mixture alongside.
• Do Ahead
• Dough can be made 2 days ahead; keep chilled. Crimped dough in pan can be formed 1 day ahead; keep chilled.

RYE CRUST FOR SAVORY PIES AND PASTRY (ADAPTED FROM RECIPE 243072

Steps:

• Place flours and salt in food processor work bowl and pulse for 2 seconds to combine.
• Add butter. Pulse 3-4 times, 2-3 seconds each time, or until mixture is crumbly.
• Sprinkle in water, a tablespoon at a time, pulsing briefly after each addition, until mixture pulls away from the side of the work bowl and starts to form a ball. I find that 4 tablespoons water is usually enough, but you can add up to 3 more if your mixture is dry--just don't let it get too wet and sticky.
• Remove from bowl and form into two balls.
• Flatten each ball slightly.
• Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for about 10 minutes.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll each ball out into a circle.
• Use in any savory recipe that calls for pie crusts.