17.03.2009 The little crust that could. Chew-chew!

This up here is a tempeh spinach rustic pie in a crispy tahini crust, and it (telepathically) let me know that it belongs in your mouth right now.
I’m not Rachael Ray: I don’t talk to my food, it talks to me instead.
For lack of making it to you while still fresh, especially considering it was gobbled up quite some time ago, I’m giving you the recipe so that you can go make your own.

You won’t believe how easy it is to make the crust: it can be rolled out directly onto a (clean, of course) kitchen counter without extra flour or parchment paper action, be picked up, pulled a little to reshape without batting an eyelash. What? My crust already speaks to me, having it wear eyelashes doesn’t make it any freakier.

Note that it can be made with pretty much any liquid you want: orange juice can be replaced by nondairy milks, and of course, water.
Don’t think its uses are limited to savory items, either: it’s multifaceted, and works as well with sweets as any other crust would. Consider adding a couple tablespoons of agave nectar (or any other sweetener) for sweet recipes, but that’s not entirely necessary: I rarely bother.

Psst: there will be a slightly different peanut butter version of it in the cookbook.

Oh and if you’d rather make this recipe in an 8-inch (20-cm) greased pie plate, then by all means…

Tempeh Spinach Rustic Pie:

For the filling:
2 teaspoons orange zest, about 2 oranges
1/2 cup (120 ml) fresh orange juice, about 2 oranges
2 tablespoons (40 g) all-fruit orange marmalade (using all-fruit is important so that it’s not too bitter and strong!)
1 tablespoon (15 ml) toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons (30 ml) soy sauce
3 cloves garlic, grated
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional, to taste
2 teaspoons ground ginger
8 ounces (227 g) tempeh, crumbled
1 tablespoon (15 ml) peanut oil
2 cups (380 g) frozen chopped spinach

For the crust:
3 tablespoons (48 g) tahini
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 1/4 cups (150 g) light spelt flour
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon (75 ml) fresh orange juice

To make the filling:
In a medium bowl, whisk zest, juice, marmalade, sesame oil, soy sauce, garlic, optional red pepper flakes, and ginger.
Stir in tempeh. Marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes, stirring once halfway through.
Heat oil in a large saucepan. Cook marinated tempeh, along with marinade, on medium heat until it browns up, for about 8 minutes. Add spinach and cook until heated through, about 5 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C, or gas mark 5). Line a rimless baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat, such as Silpat.

To make the crust:
In your stand mixer or food processor, combine tahini, salt, and flour. Add orange juice, 1 tablespoon (15 ml) at a time, until dough forms.
Shape into a disk. Roll out dough to approximately 11 x 10 inches (28 x 25 cm), a little over 1/8-inch (3-mm) thick.
Transfer onto prepared baking sheet.
Place filling on top of the prepared crust, leaving about 1 inch (2.5 cm) from the edges: the filling will pile up high. Level it, fold the edges of the pie crust up and over so that the filling is visible: it’ll look rustic, and that’s the point.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the top of the crust is golden brown.
Let stand for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Yield: 4 servings