Hazelnut Pie Crust {Paleo, Gluten Free, Grain Free}

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350F. Combine hazelnut meal, tapioca flour cinnamon and sea salt in the bowl of a food processor (or blender). Pulse a couple of times to get out any lumps.

Step 2

Add egg, palm shortening and vanilla extract.

Step 3

Pulse until dough starts to come together and move together in the processor. Scrape all of the dough out, making sure that all of the egg and shortening were incorporated thoroughly. Place into a pie pan, form a ball and put in the fridge for 10 to 15 minutes to harden as it will be easier to work with.

Step 4

When you remove dough from fridge, immediately begin to press the dough with your fingers from the middle out. Keep pressing until the center is thin enough that you can see a shadow of the pan but the dough is not ripping or breaking. You need to be gentle and press slowly in short strokes.

Step 5

As you press the dough from the center and up the sides, you should begin to have a bit extra come up the sides and over the top. Use your finger to scrap this off. Keep pressing until dough has a pretty even thickness all around. Take special care to flatten the "seam" or crease of the pan so you don't wind up with a thick doughy bite at the seam.Use a fork to poke several holes on the bottom and to gently indent the rim of the crust.

Step 6

Place a piece of parchment paper gently on top of the uncooked crust and evenly spread out your ceramic pie weights or dried (uncooked) beans.

Step 7

Bake for 7 minutes. Remove from oven and carefully remove (HOT!) pie weights. Return crust to oven and continue baking for remaining 5 minutes.

Step 8

Remove to a wire cooling rack and allow to cool completely before using.