Pastry crusts have a reputation of being finicky. But we’re here to show you that it isn't hard as many make it out to be. This recipe uses whole wheat flour and goes lighter on butter than a traditional pie. And, the dough comes together in a food processor! Make this easy whole grain crust for quiche - the combination is delicious.
Mix dough: Add whole wheat pastry flour and salt to a food processor. Pulse to mix. Add butter, and pulse until it's the size of small peas. Add 1 tablespoon (15 g) of water at a time, pulsing until the dough starts to come together.
Chill dough: Turn the dough out onto a sheet of plastic wrap. Use your hands to gently shape the dough into a disc. Wrap tightly and place at the back of the fridge to chill for at least 30 minutes.
Roll dough: On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a circle slightly larger than the tart pan. Position the dough into the pan and use your fingertips to gently pat the dough down into the edges of the pan. Run the rolling pin over the top of the tart pan, to cut off excess dough. Use a fork to poke 8 to 10 holes into the bottom of the tart. Put in the freezer for 15 minutes to cool the dough.
Blind bake crust (see note 1): Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Put a piece of parchment paper over the crust, then top with pie weights (or dried beans). Bake for 20 minutes. Remove parchment paper and pie weights, then return tart to oven and bake until light golden, about 10 minutes. Let cool, before filling.
Notes
Blind baking crust: Blind baking a pie crust is the process of pre-baking the crust before adding fillings. It can prevent the crust from getting soggy when wet fillings get added. In this step you're looking for the crust to be light golden in color (not golden-brown, since this happens in the second trip to the oven, after being filled).