Creative Pie Crusts

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Everyone loves flaky pie-crusts, but they are high in fat and calories.

These days I prefer a crustless quiche. But if you are looking for a low-fat alternative to the standard butter crust, I have some ideas.

All the recipes use a similar method: Mix ingredients and press or smooth them with your fingers or a spatula into a pie plate. Bake in the microwave or conventional oven just until set, then add the other ingredients.

Savory crusts for quiches:

• A cup of cooked rice and one egg. Bake for ten minutes or in the microwave for 2- 3 minutes on HIGH. Then add the filling.
• Mashed potatoes and one egg. Bake until the surface is firm, about ten minutes.
• Two grated raw potatoes and one egg. Cook until light brown, then add other ingredients.
• Note: You can complete the quiche in the microwave. Cook 10-13 minutes on HIGH, just until firm in the center. In a conventional oven, cook the quiche until brown.

Sweet pie crusts for fruit or custard pies:

• One and a half cups of leftover cookie crumbs and 1-2 tablespoons butter. Or crush some cookies in the food processor, stale ones are fine. Or place the cookies in a plastic bag and roll over them with a rolling pin. Add nuts, chocolate chips, raisins or cinnamon. Melt one or two tablespoons of butter in the microwave for 30 seconds on HIGH. Mix in the crumbs, and spread over the surface of the plate with your fingers. Cook in the microwave on HIGH for another 30 seconds. Or bake in a preheated oven for five minutes until set, then add the other ingredients and continue baking.
• Variation of above: Replace the cookie crumbs with bread or cake crumbs and add a tablespoon of sugar.
• Sliced bread or cake. My mother used leftover challah. Cut pieces to fit the bottom of the pan. Mix an egg with half a cup of milk or juice and add a tablespoon of sugar if you like. Pour the mixture over the slices. Top with one or two layers of fruit, sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon,  and bake.
• Microwave pie instructions: Prepare filling in a large microwave-safe bowl, then add to a prepared crust and eat.
  

Tip: Keep a container in your refrigerators for bread crusts and crumbs. Making bread crumbs cleans dried fruit from your food processor.

Tip: Put the crust on top! Mashed potatoes work especially well; think shepherd’s pie.

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