Rustic Cornmeal Pie Crust Recipes

EASY CORNMEAL CRUST FOR PIES, GALETTES AND CROSTATAS

Steps:

• Place flour, cornmeal, salt and sugar into a bowl.
• Using a whisk, mix until well combined
• Add butter. Using your hands mix into dry mix, the mixture will be someone mealy looking at this point.
• Add olive oil and stir until combined. There will be areas that arent completely combined, don't worry. When you add the water it will meld.
• Add as much of the ice cold water to have the dough stick together. It may seem a little stringy at this point but it is fine.
• Form into a ball and place in the fridge for 30 mins to an 1 hour until chilled.
• Onto a peice of parchment paper, sprinkle a little bit of cornmeal.
• Place chilled dough ball into the center and then dust a rolling pin with a little cornmeal as well.
• Roll dough out to 1/4" thickness. If the dough starts to stick, sprinkle a little bit more cornmeal on top.
• Bake and use according to your gallete, tart, crust or quiche recipe dictates.
• You can make this ahead and chill up to 3 days.

CORNMEAL PIE CRUST

Steps:

• Combine cornmeal, flour and 1 tsp salt in a bowl.
• Cut in shortening.
• In a separate bowl, beat together egg and 1/4 cup water.
• Add to cornmeal mixture.
• Press into 9 inch pie plate to form crust.
• Use in place of regular pie crust.

VEGGIE POT PIE WITH CORNMEAL PIE CRUST

Steps:

• For the crust: Combine the flour, cornmeal, and salt in a food processor and pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse just until it resembles coarse crumbs.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolk and 2 tablespoons ice water. With the processor running, drizzle in the yolk mixture. The dough should just come together. If it looks dry add more water, up to 4 tablespoons.
• Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead until it comes together; it will be stiffer than a regular pie crust because of the cornmeal. Divide into four pieces, press into discs, and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• For the filling: Toss the potatoes, yam, parsnips, celery and mushrooms with 4 tablespoons oil.
• Season with salt and pepper and spread evenly on a baking sheet. Roast, tossing once halfway through, until golden brown, about 20 to 25 minutes. You don't want to cook these all the way though since they will cook more in the pot pie. (They should be al dente, but starting to get some color.)
• Combine the flour and remaining 4 tablespoons oil in a saucepan over medium heat and cook until smooth and bubbly like pancake batter, about 3 minutes. Whisk in the mushroom broth. Simmer until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Season to taste and remove from the heat.
• Add the roasted veggies to the mushroom broth along with the peas, thyme, rosemary and sherry vinegar. Divide the filling among four 8-ounce ramekins.
• Remove the dough from the fridge and roll each into a 5-inch disc. Wet the rim each ramekin and lay a crust over the top. Poke each 5 or 6 times with a fork and place in the oven. Bake until the crust is golden brown, about 20 to 25 minutes.

CHEF JOHN'S RUSTIC ITALIAN CORN BREAD

Steps:

• Stir warm water, 1/2 cup bread flour, yeast, and sugar together in a bowl. Let stand until the yeast softens and forms a creamy mixture, about 40 minutes.
• Mix 1/2 cup cornmeal, olive oil, and salt into yeast mixture. Gradually add bread flour to yeast mixture until a dough pulls together.
• Knead dough on a lightly floured work surface until smooth and elastic, 10 to 12 minutes. Place dough in a large, lightly-oiled bowl and turn to coat. Cover with a damp towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 2 hours.
• Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll into a 14-inch wide rectangle. Roll dough, starting from the long-end, into a loaf, finishing seam-side down.
• Dust a baking sheet with 1 tablespoon cornmeal. Place loaf on baking sheet, cover with a dry towel, and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Place a shallow pan of water on the lower rack of the oven.
• Cut a 1/2-inch deep slash down the center of the loaf.
• Bake in preheated oven until the top is golden brown and the bottom of loaf sounds hollow when tapped, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

RUSTIC NECTARINE AND BLACKBERRY CROSTATA WITH CORNMEAL CRUST

Steps:

• For crust:
• Combine first 5 ingredients in processor and blend 5 seconds. Add butter; using on/off turns, blend just until butter is reduced to pea-size pieces. (To ensure a flaky crust, be careful not to overwork the butter.) Add 1/3 cup ice water. Using on/off turns, blend until dough comes together in moist clumps, adding more water by teaspoonfuls if dough is dry. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap; chill at least 1 hour. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Chill. Let soften slightly at room temperature before rolling out.)
• Roll out dough on lightly floured sheet of parchment paper to 14-inch round, turning dough occasionally to prevent sticking. Slide rimless baking sheet under parchment. Transfer dough on parchment to refrigerator. Chill until dough firms slightly, about 30 minutes.
• For filling and baking:
• Stir sugar and cornstarch in medium bowl to blend. Mix in fruit and vanilla. Let stand until juices are released, stirring fruit occasionally, about 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Transfer baking sheet with dough to work surface. Let stand 8 minutes to allow dough to soften slightly if too firm to fold. Spoon fruit and juices into center of dough. Arrange fruit in even 10-inch-diameter layer in center. Brush 2-inch border of dough with egg glaze. Lift about 2 inches of dough border and pinch to form vertical seam. Continue around tart, pinching seam every 2 inches to form standing border. Fold border down over fruit (center 6 inches of fruit remain uncovered). Brush folded border with egg glaze; sprinkle with raw sugar.
• Place baking sheet with tart in oven. Bake until crust is golden brown and fruit filling is bubbling at edges, about 55 minutes. Remove from oven; slide large metal spatula under tart to loosen from parchment. Brush fruit with preserves. Slide tart onto rack. Cool 45 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature with ice cream.
• Available at Italian markets, natural foods stores, and some supermarkets.

CORNMEAL PIE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Add corn syrup, milk and vanilla; mix well. Fold in cornmeal and flour. Pour into pastry shells. , Bake at 350° for 25 minutes. Reduce heat to 300°. Bake 20-25 minutes longer or until set (cover edges with foil during the last 15 minutes to prevent overbrowning if necessary). Cool on a wire rack. Garnish with whipped cream if desired. Refrigerate leftovers.

CORNMEAL PIE DOUGH

Steps:

• In large bowl, mix together flour, cornmeal, sugar, and salt. Using your fingers, mix in butter until crumbly. In a small bowl, combine egg yolks and 3 tablespoons ice water. Add egg-yolk mixture to flour mixture. Using a fork, mix quickly and lightly. Knead dough lightly in bowl until dough holds together; add up to 1 tablespoon ice water if dry. Divide dough into four equal balls. Press each ball into a disk; wrap in plastic. Chill until firm, about 30 minutes.

CORNED BEEF HASH RUSTIC PIE

Steps:

• Whisk flour, salt and sugar; cut in butter until mixture resembles small peas. Gradually add beer, tossing with a fork until dough holds together when pressed. Shape into a disk; wrap and refrigerate 1 hour or overnight., Meanwhile, place potatoes and salt in a small saucepan; add water to cover. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, until potatoes are crisp-tender, 6-8 minutes. Drain. Return to saucepan; add green onions, butter, mustard and pepper. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until potatoes are tender and browned, 6-8 minutes. Remove from heat; cool., Roll dough between two pieces of waxed paper to a 1/8-in.-thick, 12-in.-diameter circle. Remove top piece of waxed paper; place a 9-in. pie plate upside down over crust. Lifting with waxed paper, carefully invert crust into pan. Remove waxed paper. Trim crust to 1/2 in. beyond rim of plate; flute edge. Refrigerate 30 minutes., Preheat oven to 400°. Prick bottom and sides of crust with a fork; line with a double thickness of foil. Fill with pie weights, dried beans or uncooked rice. Bake on a lower oven rack until edges are light golden brown, 15-20 minutes. Remove foil and weights; bake until bottom is golden brown, 3-6 minutes longer. Cool slightly., To assemble the rustic pie, layer half the corned beef, half the cheese and three-fourths of potato mixture in baked crust. Repeat corned beef and cheese layers; sprinkle with remaining potato mixture. Reroll dough trimmings; use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to make shamrock petals and a knife to cut out a stem. Brush dough trimmings with milk. Bake until crust and cheese are golden brown, 35-40 minutes.

TORTA RUSTICA

Steps:

• Mix flour, cornmeal, and salt in a bowl. Cut in butter with pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Beat 2 eggs with 3 tablespoons cold water; stir into flour mixture until dough holds together. Add another tablespoon water if needed. Shape 2/3 of the dough into flattened round; repeat with remaining 1/3. Wrap. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes, or until firm enough to roll.
• In another bowl, combine ricotta cheese, crumbled feta, Parmesan cheese, 1 egg, parsley, basil, and oregano until well blended.
• Have an 8 or 9 inch springform pan ready. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the larger portion of dough into a 15 inch diameter circle. Carefully place in ungreased pan; press lightly against bottom and sides. Trim overhanging dough to 1 inch from pan rim.
• Scatter half of the mozzarella over the bottom of the crust. Next arrange half the ham slices in an even layer. Spread with ricotta cheese mixture, then sprinkle with spinach. Cover with the remaining ham slices. Press down gently to pack layers. Add red peppers in a single layer, and top with the remaining mozzarella. Press down again.
• Roll out remaining dough to 8 or 9 inch circle. Place over filling to cover. Moisten edges, and seal crusts together. Crimp or flute edges. Crust should not extend above pan rim. Beat remaining egg, and brush over the crust. Cut several small vents in top crust for steam to escape.
• Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 1 hour, or until crust is deep golden brown and pulls away from sides. Cool in pan on wire rack 45 minutes. Remove pan sides; cool completely. Cut into 12 wedges. Serve at room temperature.

CORNMEAL CRUST

Steps:

• Whisk cornmeal with 1 1/2 cups cold water.
• In a medium saucepan, bring 2 1/2 cups water, salt, and pepper to a boil.
• Gradually stir in cornmeal mixture. Reduce heat; simmer, stirring often, until very thick, 4 to 5 minutes.
• Remove from heat; stir in butter until melted.

CORNMEAL CRUST

Steps:

• Prepare the butter and lard, if using. Cut the butter into 1/2-inch (12-mm) cubes (a bench scraper is perfect for this, but a sharp knife works well too), and cut the lard into small pieces. Return them to the fridge to cool.
• In a liquid measuring cup, stir together the milk and vinegar. Refrigerate the mixture until ready to use.
• On a clean flat surface or in a large shallow bowl, toss the flour, cornmeal, cornstarch, sugar, and salt together lightly to blend. Add the butter and lard (if using) to the dry ingredients and, using the tool of your choice, cut the fat into the flour with speed and patience, until the fat has been reduced to small pea-sized chunks. Try to use a straight up-and-down motion, as the more you press on the flour the more tough gluten will develop. Avoid using your fingers, as the heat from your hands will melt the fat and further encourage gluten development. Unlike with pasta or bread, gluten is the enemy of pie dough, so be gentle, and be quick!
• Once your fat has been cut down to size, spread your mixture out to expose as much surface area as possible. Gently drizzle about half of your milk mixture over the flour, trying to cover as wide an area as you can. Using bench scrapers or a large spoon, lightly toss the flour over the liquid, then spread everything out again, and repeat the process with the second half of the liquid.
• You should now have a dough that will just hold together when pressed against the bowl, with visible little chunks of butter. If you need to add more liquid to bind it, do so with more cold milk, adding a tablespoon at a time until you reach the right texture. It's not an exact science, as everything from the humidity in the air to the dryness of your flour will affect the consistency of your dough.
• Once you've reached your goal, cover the dough tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for at least 1 hour. The dough can be kept in the fridge for up to 1 week, well wrapped, or in the freezer for up to 2 months.

RUSTIC NECTARINE AND RASPBERRY CROSTATA WITH CORNMEAL CRUST

Steps:

• To prepare the crust: Combine first 5 ingredients in food processor and whiz for 5 seconds to blend.
• Add butter, and pulse until butter is pea size.
• Add 1/3 cup ice water and pulse until dough forms moist clumps.
• Add more water by teaspoon fulls if too dry.
• Gather dough into ball, flatten into disc, wrap in plastic and chill for at least one hour.
• Can be made 1 day ahead.
• Let dough sit a few minutes, then roll on lightly floured sheet of parchment paper to a 14 inch round, turning occasionally to prevent sticking.
• Slide a rimless baking sheet under parchment and place disc in fridge for 30 minutes.
• To make Filling: Stir sugar and cornstarch to blend.
• Mix in fruit and vanilla.
• Let stand until juices are released, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Transfer baking sheet with dough to work surface and let stand for 8 minutes.
• Spoon fruit and juices into center of dough, making a even 10 inch diameter.
• Brush a 2 inch border of dough with egg.
• Lift about 2 inches of dough border and pinch to form vertical seam.
• Pinching every two inches.
• See photo- middle six inches of fruit should remain uncovered.
• Brush folded border with egg and sprinkle with raw sugar.
• Place baking sheet with tart in oven.
• Bake until crust is golden and fruit is bubbling, about 55 minutes.
• Remove from oven and transfer with large spatula to cooling rack.
• Brush fruit with heated preserves.
• Cool 45 minutes.
• Serve warm, or at room temperature.
• A dollop of creme fraiche or vanilla ice cream goes very nicely with a slice of this.