Simple Pie Crust (Soy, Fish, Nut, Milk and Egg-Free, Can Be Wheat-Free)

July is such a crazy month for us.  We have Independence Day, church get-togethers, family get-togethers and birthdays (my hubby's birthday was yesterday - Happy Birthday, sweetheart!  I love you!) and it seems like I am always needing food for something, especially desserts.  Normally, because it is July, it is too hot to do too much baking, so I normally find myself making a pie that requires a pre-baked crust, like the Summer Strawberry Pie I shared with you last week  (I made a Rhubarb-Strawberry version for my husband using the rhubarb for the glaze part and then pouring it over strawberries - so heavenly!) - 10 minutes with the oven on and that's it, so the house doesn't get too hot and you still get a delicious homemade pie that's to die for!  Besides, with all the wonderful summer berries we have around here, pie is definitely the way to go!

At any rate, if you're going to make pie, you need a pie crust, and this one is definitely a keeper, especially if you are catering to lots of food allergies as it is soy-free (if you use all soy-free ingredients), fish, nut, milk and egg-free and can be wheat-free (see variations).  It is a little more fussy than my Easy Pie Crust, but still pretty hard to mess up.  Trust me - You can do this, I promise! 

You could even use this recipe for savory things like Chicken Pot Pie.  One crust - lots of options!

Simple Pie Crust

1 Cup soy-free flour
(all purpose or whole wheat is perfectly acceptable and work equally well,
though sometimes the whole wheat requires a little more water)

1/2 Cup lard

up to 1 teaspoon salt

1/4 Cup icy cold water

1. In a medium bowl, cut lard into flour and salt until crumbly. (Note: I use 2 knives, but you can use a pastry cutter.  Amount of salt you use is based on preference.)
2. Add the icy water and stir with a fork until moistened. (Note: I fill a bowl with water and ice and then measure off the water that I need.  If you find that 1/4 Cup isn't quite enough water to moisten all the flour/lard mixture, you can add a teaspoon more at a time as needed.)
3. Turn out onto lightly-floured surface.
4. Form dough into a smooth ball and divide into 2 sections.
       
5. Flatten one section slightly and roll out to fit your pie pan (easily fits 9-inch deep dish pie pan). (Note: Make sure that you flour the rolling pin, too, or it will stick to it.) 
     
6. If necessary, repeat step 5 for a top crust after adding filling to the pie you are making,  sealing the 2 crusts together and being sure to slice slits or make holes into the top crust to help release the steam before baking OR repeat step 5 for a second pie OR wrap the dough in plastic wrap and store in the fridge for later use.  (Note: I would just 1/2 the dough recipe if you only need 1 crust unless you plan on making another pie within a few days.)

Makes 2 pie crusts.

To bake this crust before adding filling:  Preheat oven to 475^oF.  After placing the crust into the pie pan, poke holes into the bottom and sides using a fork, and bake for 10 minutes or until the crust is lightly browned.   Cool before adding filling.

Variations (please keep your individual allergy needs in mind when using substitutions):

• Wheat/Gluten-Free: Use gluten-free flour or a gluten-free flour mix (such as Olivia's Outstanding Multi-Purpose Flour Mix) for the regular flour.  If just using a gluten-free flour that does not already contain xanthan gum or ground flax seed to help the texture, you will probably want to add 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum or ground flax seed, too.  You can definitely make it without xanthan gum/ground flax seed, too, but know that the texture will be dry and pretty crumbly.
    
• Other Fat Options: If you just cannot stomach the thought of using lard or need it to be vegetarian/vegan, you can always use an allergy-friendly shortening (like Spectrum) or even coconut oil instead.

Few ingredients and a few minutes later, you have pie crust that is simply amazing and will get you rave reviews.  Really!

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What is your favorite summer pie or treat?

What is your favorite part of summer time?

(This recipe was originally posted on my original site, Natural and Free.)