Vegetable Oil Pastry

carolewalter.com

Good things come to those who bake...

VEGETABLE OIL PASTRY

Makes: 1 single crust for a 9 or 10-inch pie

OR a 9 or 11-inch tart

Method: Hand

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup boiling water

1/3 cup vegetable oil, canola or safflower

Procedure:

Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together 3 times.

Place the boiling water in a large bowl. Whisk in the vegetable oil, adding it by droplets, then in a slow stream. The mixture will emulsify.

Add the dry ingredients all at once, blending the ingredients together with a rubber spatula. Be sure to scrape around the bowl with the spatula. Gather the mixture with your hand, and knead it lightly 6 or 7 times to form a smooth dough.

With well-floured hands, form the dough into a 4-inch disk. Dust disk with flour and cover with plastic wrap. Chill 15 to 20 minutes before using.

If making a pie crust, spray the pie plate with non-stick coating. Wipe the excess with a paper towel. Tart pans do not require greasing.

Roll the pastry to 1/8-inch thickness between sheets of plastic wrap, making a circle that is 3 to 4-inches larger than your pan. Remove the top layer of plastic wrap. Place the pie or tart pan on the far side of the pastry. Lift the two corners of plastic wrap closest to you, and invert the dough into the pan. Press against the plastic wrap to mold the dough into the crease of the pan. DO NOT STRETCH. Peel off the plastic wrap, and, if in a pie plate, flute the edge.

Place the pastry shell on a shallow pan, and chill at least 1/2 hour. Prick well with a fork, then blind bake.

NOTE: Baking time must be increased for pastry dough’s made with oil. Blind-bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes. Remove beans, oven reduce temperature to 375 degrees and bake an additional 8 to 10 minutes or until the bottom is well browned. To insure a crisp crust, this pastry must be thoroughly baked.

VARIATIONS:

NUT FLAVORED PASTRY:

Replace about 1/2 of the vegetable oil with equal amount of Walnut or Hazelnut oil. Proceed with recipe as written.

WHOLE WHEAT PASTRY with VEGETABLE OIL:

Replace 3/4 cup of the all-purpose flour with 3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour. Proceed with recipe as written. NOTE: If the dough seems a bit dry, add 1 to 2 teaspoons of tap water.

SAVORY OLIVE OIL PASTRY:

Substitute extra-virgin olive oil for the vegetable oil. Stir 2 to 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh herbs into the flour. Use 1 - 2 teaspoons finely chopped thyme or

rosemary, 1 tablespoon minced parsley, and 1 tablespoon snipped chives.

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