Easy Rustic Pies- Sweet & Savory

  • 15

    Ingredients

  • 40

    Minutes

    (Total Time)

  • 15

    Minutes

    (Prep Time)

  • 8

    Servings

    Steps 1 to 5 Are to Make the Dough
  1. Using a food processor, pulse the flour, sugar, and salt several times until mixed well. 

  2. Add the cubed butter and pulse 8-10 times. (NOTE: DO NOT OVERPULSE. The key to having a flaky pastry crust is making sure the butter (the fats) remain about pea-sized.) 

  3. Slowly add the water about 2 TBSP at a time and pulse once or twice after each addition. The dough should begin to clump, but will still be very dry in the bowl of the processor. 

  4. Pour the mixture into a large bowl and begin lightly kneading the mixture until it all begins to stick together. (If it is still too dry, drizzle a little more water (about a TSP at a time) into it and toss the mixture with a fork. You want the dough to be sticky enough to adhere together without crumbling, but you don’t want it to be wet. Also, do not over-knead.) 

  5. Form two discs out of the mixture, sprinkle flour over the discs, and wrap in plastic. Chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes prior to using. (If you won’t be using both, you can freeze the extra one for later.) 

  6. To Make The Italian Sausage, Spinach and Goat Cheese Rustic Pie
  7. Prepare the dough as instructed above. Preheat oven to 400 degrees on convection setting. 

  8. Cook sausage in a fry pan until brown. Add shallots and garlic with a little olive oil, and saute. Add in raw spinach, diced parsley, and black olives, then stir to evenly mix. Cover for 1 minute to allow spinach to soften. Turn off heat and set aside. 

  9. Heavily flour a flat surface and roll disks into a 12" diameter. (Remember: this is RUSTIC! It doesn’t have to be perfect, nor smooth at the edges.) 

  10. With a slotted spoon, spoon filling from the pan into the center of the prepared pie. Leave a 2" space around the edge of the filling, and be careful to evenly distribute the flavors of the filling. Crumble goat cheese over the top of the filling, and then, in accordion fashion, wrap the edges of the dough up over the filling. Brush the exposed dough with egg wash (i.e. a room temp egg whisked until loose), then lightly sprinkle with coarse finishing salt. Finally, using a fine grater, freshly grate parmesan cheese over dough and filling. 

  11. Place in oven, for 15-18  minutes.

  12. After baking: Toss a handful of arugula with a light drizzle of olive oil, lemon zest, and sea salt. Layer the fresh arugula over top of the pie before cutting and serving. 

  13. To Make The Blueberry Lemon Pie
  14. Prepare the dough as instructed above. Preheat oven to 400 degrees on convection setting. 

  15. Heavily flour a flat surface and roll disks into a 12" diameter. (Remember: this is RUSTIC! It doesn’t have to be perfect, nor smooth at the edges.) 

  16. Place the blueberry mixture in the disc leaving a 2" space around filling. In an accordion fashion, pull the edges of the dough up over the filling. Brush the exposed dough with an egg wash (i.e. a room temp egg whisked until loose), and lightly sprinkle with sugar. 

  17. Pour the mixture into a large bowl and begin lightly kneading the mixture until it all begins to stick together. (If it is still too dry, drizzle a little more water (about a TSP at a time) into it and toss the mixture with a fork. You want the dough to be sticky enough to adhere together without crumbling, but you don’t want it to be wet. Also, do not over-knead.) 

  18. Place in oven, for 15-18 minutes.

  19. Form two discs out of the mixture, sprinkle flour over the discs, and wrap in plastic. Chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes prior to using. (If you won’t be using both, you can freeze the extra one for later.) 

  • 15

    Ingredients

  • 40

    Minutes

    (Total Time)

  • 15

    Minutes

    (Prep Time)

  • 8

    Servings

Dough:

  1. 2.5 cups flour
  2. 1 TBSP. sugar
  3. 1⁄2 tsp. salt
  4. 2 sticks (1 cup) salted butter, chilled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
  5. 10-14 TBSP. ice water

ITALIAN SAUSAGE, SPINACH, AND GOAT CHEESE RUSTIC PIE:

  1. 1⁄2 cup spicy italian sausage
  2. 2 large shallots, diced
  3. 2 garlic cloves, diced and smashed
  4. 1⁄2 cup crushed black olives
  5. 2 handfulls raw spinach
  6. 1⁄2 cup diced fresh parsley

Blueberry Lemon Pie:

  1. Place 2 cups of blueberries in a large bowl and toss with:
  2. 1⁄4 cup sugar
  3. 1⁄4 cup sweetened shredded coconut
  4. 1 TBSP. lemon juice
  5. 1 tsp. lemon zest