I’ve been given the gift of time so I find myself exploring my scribbled recipes. This is truly amazing. I’m loving having the chance to create some of the ideas I’ve had and refine things so they are shareable too.
After making some of my lunch rolls I wanted to refine the pastry a little more ... it was a little delicate so things had to be just right. I wanted it to be a little more resilient before I could share it with you.
And today I have finally nailed it....I am certainly feeling slightly excited about what this means we can now make.
Pies........
Lunch Rolls......
Tarts.....
Tartlets.....
Mince Pies.... Torts.... and more pies... :)
I’ve created this recipe so that it's full of nutritious, wholesome deliciousness. I should add that it’s gluten free, dairy free, egg free and vegan so many dietary requirements are looked after by choosing to make this.
When creating the pastry, it was really important that I used flours that hadn’t been bleached of all of their nutrients in their processing but added key nutrients that your body needs. So I began to dig into the different flours that are friendly for me. It turns out there's quite a few to play with hence why my search for the right balance for the pastry was a long but fun one. One of the flours I've chosen to use for it's awesomeness is gram flour. It also has many different names such as garbanzo flour, besan flour and chickpea flour....can you guess what it's made of....ground chickpeas! It's pale yellow in colour and a staple of Indian cuisine. Chickpea facts....chickpeas are full of protein, which is essential for creating a balanced meal, and are rich in iron, potassium, magnesium, manganese, copper, zinc, phosphorus, fibre, folate, thiamine and vitamin B6. (1) Let's just have a close look at a couple of those minerals and what that could mean for the body. According to Nutritional Data and Healthy Eating, one cup of gram flour has 25% of your daily recommended iron. Iron is vital for carrying oxygen, it's function as an antioxidant and it's needed for the production of collagen. One cup also contains magnesium, a whopping 38% of your daily recommended amount. Did you know that magnesium can help muscles to relax, which helps maintain vascular health and regulates blood pressure. One cup also contains 23% of your daily recommend Vitamin B6. B6 is an important component involved in the synthesis of the neurotransmitter serotonin. Serotonin plays an important role in mood and appetite regulation.(2)(3) I also chose gram flour for it's versatility when creating recipes as I've found it to be one of the sturdier flours that holds its shape as a dough. Before I get too carried away here's the recipe for the pastry... I'll add a couple of links at the bottom if you'd like to read more about gram flour benefits.
Makes: One 9 inch pie (top and bottom) Time to make: 10 minutes Time to chill: 1 hour
If you're baking a pie... Time to pre-bake: 10-15 minutes
Time to cook as a pie: 30 minutes
You will need...
1 cup gram flour (120g)
1 cup brown rice flour (150g)
1/2 cup coconut oil (90g)
8-10 tsp cold water
How to create...
Combine flour in a large mixing bowl.
Add your coconut oil. It's really important that it is not liquid but it is soft enough to spoon out of the jar. It needs to be in a consistent state rather than half liquid and half solid. To achieve this either store your coconut oil in a cool, dark place or pop it in the fridge if it has melted to firm up for 20-30 minutes.
Use a fork or pinch the coconut oil and flours together until it looks like wet sand.
Add the ice cold water 1 tbsp at a time. Mix using a spoon between each tablespoon. Only add as much water as needed to help it come together. Be patient with this and make sure the water is really cold. It can be between 8-10 tablespoons so adjust for your batch. If you do add too much then add a little sprinkle of flour to adjust. When it starts to come together, use your hands to gently nead your dough in the bowl to form a ball.
Pop the dough in some cling film and then into the fridge for 30 minutes.
A little later...the dough is now ready.
If you're making a pie...
Preheat your oven to 180'
Take the dough out of the fridge to sit for 5 minutes.
Split the dough in half making sure one half is slightly larger and roll into two balls for one big pie or divide into 6 equal parts, then, half these to make the top and bottom on your 6 mini pies. Like the bigger pie make one half of each of the 6 parts slightly bigger for the base.
Lay out some grease proof paper and draw around the base of your pie dish. Flip the grease proof paper over (drawing side down). Place the larger dough ball in the centre of the marked area and press down to make a slightly squashed ball. Sprinkle a dusting of flour on your rolling pin and the top of the dough and begin to roll out to the shape of your drawing. Roll past the edge of your drawing to match the height of the sides of your dish, bearing in mind that coconut oil doesn't play as well as butter so be careful if you've got a tall dish. roll to around 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick.
Using the grease proof paper, drape the pastry over the dish or for smaller pies use your hands. Slowly peel the paper away from the dough as it sits in your dish. The pastry is great if you need to patch things up so don't be afraid to use your fingers to join pieces by pressing them together against the sides. Using a knife, cut off any excess pastry by slicing around the edge of the dish.
Bake the big base for 10-15 minutes so it starts to become firm or bake the mini pies for 5-10 minutes so it starts to become firm.
Repeat the rolling steps for your pie top. This needs to be as round as the top of your dish.
Spoon in your choice of filling.
Drape your pie top over the dish and join the edges together by either using your thumb or a fork.
Cut an air hole by slicing a cross in the middle.
Bake the big pie in the over for 30 minutes or until golden.
Bake the mini pies in the oven for 25 - 30 minutes until the tops starts to turn golden.
If your filling choice needs longer or it's cooking too quickly in your oven, cover with foil to avoid crisping or burning.
To save any unused dough, wrap in cling film and pop in the fridge for up to 2 days or in the freezer for 2 weeks.
I would love to know how you get on and what you fill your pies with.
Happy creating, Emmy x
Some more chickpea information.
Chickpea Flour — Versatile, Gluten-Free & High-Protein
This was an interesting study on the Effects of long-term consumption and single meals of chickpeas on plasma glucose, insulin, and triacylglycerol concentrations for those finding alternatives as a response to insulin sensitivity, https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/79/3/390/4690125
There's so much more I could share about chickpeas so keep your eyes pealed. :)
This recipe is plant based, gluten free, dairy free, refined sugar free, vegan and is full of wholesome goodness. All the ingredients I use I try to use organic, local and fair trade where possible and necessary but it’s up to you to choose what you want to use.