bakeitup

I love to make pies. Pies are great and they've become a real part of any major family gathering (or gathering of my friends) where I have access to an oven. I haven't met a type of pie I don't want to make.

However - I've been asked to make up a pie for Memorial Day weekend. No problem, I think. Then I realise I'm dealing with a bunch of food allergies - no soy and no dairy allowed. I figure I've got two options - graham cracker crust or a shortening pie made with coconut oil (solid at room temperature, very unhealthy iirc). Then I remembered coming across recipes for olive oil crusts, but I could never get the hang of those - I'm used to making butter pastry so having a liquid oil is foreign. I was wondering if any of you had any advice on how an olive oil crust might be differently handled than a butter crust?

Great Pumpkin Pumpkin Pie

Vegetable Shortening Crust
4 cups flour
1 3/4 cups shortening (palm oil)
1 egg, beaten
1 dash vinegar
1 dash vanilla
1 dash salt
~1 cup water

Mix flour and shortening as you would with butter, until a meal consistency is reached. Add the egg, vinegar, vanilla, and salt. Mix. Slowly add water by the teaspoon until it holds together loosely when pressed. This is enough for a two crust pie, two bottom crusts, or one bottom crust and some tarts.

Pumpkin Pie Filling
! can prepared pumpkin
1 egg beaten
1/4 teaspoon arrowroot
pinch of orange rind or dash of orange juice
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1 tablespoon canola oil
1/2 cup blackstrap molasses
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup sugar

Mix well. Pout into pie crust. Bake at 450 F for 15 minutes and then 350 F for about an hour (until set in the middle).