Many people prefer having sweet apple pies or some meat pies while having their very first meal of the day, i.e, breakfast. These pies are actually made up of flour, butter, and some preservatives that are somehow unhealthy to the human digestive system.
Olive oil pies are rather beneficial and healthy to the human body, as olive oil is very helpful for joints.
If anyone wants to have a thin, crispy, and good-flavored pie, he should use extra virgin olive oil. Though this pie includes the ingredients that are raw and unprocessed that are very energetic and healthy to the human tissues.
Although olive oil has some extra calories and fats, they are much better fats than other harmful fats and oils, as it does not make bad cholesterol in the body. Olive oil supplies the body with good fats that actually lower the cholesterol level in the blood and provide strength to the heart muscles.
Why Should We Use Olive Oil For Pie Crust?
Olive oils consist of molecules that fight with free radicals in the human body, e.g, vitamin E and polyphenols, which increase human health. Olive oil is extracted naturally from olives that consist of natural fibers and nutrients, while other vegetable oils are made up of preservatives that are harmful for the human heart.
Olive oil has such a unique and fine taste that pie crusts made by using olive oil give a sweet and tangy flavor. Thus, any filling can be added to the crust, as both filling and crust taste complement each other.
The Directions For Cooking The Perfect Olive Oil Tart Crust:
These tart crust cooking directions don't need any costly ingredients or utensils.Only very basic and simple cooking devices and food items are used that are normally present in every kitchen for making this pie crust.
Ingredients:
The very simple and essential food elements that are required for making olive oil tart crust include:
- One and three-quarter cups of plain flour would be used as the bottom crust. If someone does not want to use plain flour, he can use wheat flour or almond flour.
- Half cup of extra virgin oil for the fat element that will provide a very delicious taste.By using extra virgin oil, you will get a very fine and strong taste of olives that is very pleasant to smell.
- One-fourth cup of cold water will make the dough nonsticky. It will hold the dough together and cool it.
- A tablespoon of sugar can be added, but it is optional, as some people prefer sweet pies, and some of them need to mask the strong flavor of olive oil. So sugar can be used for purposes.
- Half a tablespoon of salt will strengthen the taste of olive oil and make the crust more flavorful.
Instructions:
Mixing the dry elements:
Use a mixing bowl and add plain flour, salt, and sugar to it. If you want to make a sweet pie, you should add sugar. Mix all of the elements thoroughly to make an even distribution of salt and sugar in the flour.
Addition of extra virgin olive oil:
Into the above mixture, add extra virgin olive oil slowly and continue mixing the mixture with flour or some fork so that the plain flour mixture starts converting into small fragments.This step is very important as it helps to make a nice, flavorful, and cracky bottom crust.
Though oil has been added, the mixture will still be dry but consist of small fragments of flour mixed with oil. Remember that dough is still not formed.
Addition of Cold Water:
Take one-fourth cup of cold water and start adding a tablespoon of water into the fragmented mixture once at a time.Only a tablespoon of water should be added stepwise as needed; otherwise, the dough will start sticking together and it will become difficult to handle the dough.
Too much processing of the fragmented mixture with water will make a hard dough that will not make a perfect crust.A dough with less handling will make a fine and flavorful bottom crust.
Chilling the Dough:
Now form the dough into a ball and refrigerate it for about 30 minutes by keeping it in a closed container or by wrapping it in plastic wrap. Avoid making the dough hard while forming its ball because it will facilitate the handling of olive oil, and the crust bottom will not be nice.
If you are short on time, you can refrigerate the dough for about 10 minutes, as it will be almost equally helpful for having a nice crust.
Rolling Out the Dough:
After the dough cools, spread some plain flour onto the slab, unwrap the dough, and start rolling the dough evenly onto the slab. The dough should be about a half inch thick after rolling. If the dough breaks, you can fix it using your fingers.
Now transfer the rolled-out dough into the pie dish carefully, either by hand or by rolling pin. You should press the dough gently to fix it onto the edges.
Pre-Bake or PreHeat the Oven:
If your recipe includes pre-heating your oven for your pie crust, you should preheat the oven to 190 degrees Celsius, then start baking your dough for about 10 to 15 minutes for a nice crust.
Some fruit pies and other filling pies can be baked by adding the filling to uncooked dough, and your crust will still be crunchy after baking.
Suggestions for Success:
- You should use a high-quality extra virgin olive oil for your pie or tart, as it will highlight the taste of olives. But if you use a low-quality olive oil , it will give you a bland and oily-textured pie crust.
- The melting point of olive oil is lower than that of other fats and oils. So you should surely refrigerate your dough before rolling; otherwise, your tart crust will be oily and sticky.
- You can add some herbs like rosemary, thyme, or garlic powder to give your tart crust a tangy taste. You can add sugar or some cinnamon powder to your dough to have sweetness in your pie crust.
- Apart from plain flour, you can use almond flour or millet flour to have a different kind of pie. Whole wheat flour gives extra texture and fiber to the pie.
Advantages of Olive Oil Pie Crust According to Medicinal Sciences:
According to the medical sciences, olive oil has replaced other fats and butter successfully due to its health benefits.
Monounsaturated lipids are good lipids that are present in olive oil and help to reduce blood cholesterol level and risk of heart disease.
Vitamin E and other antioxidants present in extra virgin olive oil keep the body cells away from damage.
Anti-inflammatory elements of olive oil help to reduce the inflammation and risk of chronic diseases.
Olive oil strengthens the human digestive system. Due to this reason, the human stomach finds the pie made of olive oil simpler.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the pie crust made up of olive oil healthier than the ones made of butter?
The olive oil that is used in the pies gives them a silky, cracked, and scaly texture. It provides nuttiness flavor to the pie, which is free of saturated lipids. Hence, these pies are much healthier than others.
How can we make gluten-free pie crusts with olive oil?
To make a gluten-free pie crust with olive oil, use gluten-free flour, i.e., almond flour or millet flour, and mix it with olive oil. Olive oil will give the pie crust a rich taste and make it soft.
What is the benefit of a soft oil crust?
Olive oil makes the dough soft and crumbly. If we add cold water to the dough, it will be handled easily.
What are the directions for making a homemade pie crust with oil?
If you want to make a handmade pie crust, mix flour, salt, water, sugar (optional), and oil and roll it up. All the details are present in the above article.
How can we store an olive oil crust?
Just wrap the dough into a plastic wrap for about 3 hours before use and chill it in the refrigerator.You can refrigerate it for about 3 months.
Which one is better for pie: butter or oil?
Oil like olive oil provides good lipids that are beneficial for the heart and the human body, and it gives a nice and crunchy crust. Whole butter gives a heavy and rich crust. Everyone likes them according to his personal taste.
Using our extra virgin olive oil will enhance the taste of your pie crust and will make your pie soft and simpler to eat. It will improve your baking as our olive oil is extracted naturally from olives.
Our olive oil will enhance the taste and flavor of your food, whether you are making an unsweetened pie with a filling of hams, etc. for brunch. or a sweetened pie for dessert, it will give you health benefits as well. So try right now our extra virgin olive oil collections and see how good your baking turns out.