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Anja’s Favorite Spelt Olive Oil Tarte Crust

3 pans of tarte crust uncooked
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A savory, flaky, home-made-delicious and easy to make crust – perfect for any savory pie, quiche, or French Tarte! 

3 pans of tarte crust uncooked

Do you have a favorite crust recipe? Do you make your crusts or buy them premade at the store? 

⁠No, I am not asking about sweet pie crusts. I am asking about savory, deluxe, satisfying tarte crusts that are the base of a beautiful vegetable tarte (or meat pie, or quiche!). ⁠

⁠I am in love with my crust recipe and I make it everywhere I go. I’ve refined it over and over, and I add herbs and spices depending on what I am filling it with. ⁠

⁠Last week I made three different kinds of vegetable tartes for family, all with this crust. It was my absolutely favorite dinner (the dinner I’d make for my last meal!). ⁠

⁠The tartes I typically make with this crust (to name a few): ⁠

a tomato tart and an onion tarte

• Caramelized Onion Tarte with Blue & Brie Cheese⁠

• Summer Tomato Tarte with Goat Cheese & Fresh Herbs (a MUST right now – so in season!)⁠

• Sylvie’s Grilled Eggplant Tarte (duh! This one can also be made with Phyllo Dough for a lighter, crisper crust⁠) Make Eggplant Tarte here

• Caramelized Curry Carrot Tarte with Ricotta & Parmesan

THE RECIPE: 

Anja’s Favorite Spelt Olive Oil Tarte Crust (Easy, Flaky, Delicious)

• 3 cups spelt flour (not GF, but made from the healthiest and most vitamin-rich part of the wheat grain, easy to find @wholefoods. I find it is easier for gluten-intolerant people to digest)⁠

• 1 cup extra virgin olive oil⁠

• 1/3 cup JOI almond milk⁠ (You can use regular almond milk, but we highly recommend JOI for the tastiest, healthiest and most natural option! Use this link for 10% off – the almond milk base lasts for a long time in the cupboard!)

• 1 tsp sea salt⁠ (sea salt is a must! Skip the Kosher salt – the health benefits are far inferior from sea salt)

• Dried Herbs & Spices (Optional – Depending on what flavors you are putting into your tarte, add it to the crust! Some options: Dried oregano, basil and thyme. Curry powder, garlic powder…)

an oval pan with tarte crust and a bowl on the side with quartered tomatoes

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. 

2. Add flour to large bowl. Whisk in salt and any added dried herbs or spices you think would taste good with your tarte. Create a little well in flour mixture. Pour in oil, then milk, and stir everything together with rubber or wooden spatula.

3. Once the dough starts to come together, finish working it by gently kneading by hand on cutting board.

4. Divide dough into two parts, to use for two tartes. (Tartes will be open faced). Use immediately, or wrap airtight to save for a couple days later. 

5. When ready to bake, roll dough in between 2 sheets of parchment paper. When slightly flattened, lie dough into bottom of tarte/pie pan without parchment paper. (9-11 inch pie plate recommended). Press dough out to cover surface and up sides of pan. Since dough is made from spelt, dough will be fragile so work it slowly and treat it with love! 

6. Bake crust about 10 minutes or until starting to brown. Remove from oven and fill with tarte ingredients. Bake tarte as described in tarte recipe.  

7. Enjoy and let us know how it turns out!

Forming tarte dough into a glass dish

Why this recipe is so great:

• It’s only 4 ingredients, you don’t need a food processor or pastry cutter, and there is no chilling required. You just mix, knead, and roll. And in less than 15 minutes, you have savory tarte/pit crust that is ready to be filled and baked.

• Easy as playing with putty! The texture of this pastry dough is not as elastic as most others (since it is made with spelt!). The delicate texture is what makes this pie crust so tender and flaky. When handling this tarte/pie crust, it might crack or break, but not to worry, just pinch and seal and patch it up as if you’re playing with putty. This tarte/pie crust is very forgiving and easy to work with in that sense.

• Vegan and dairy-free. You can use any kind of milk with this recipe, so if you are vegan or have a dairy allergy, simply use a non-dairy milk like @addjoi almond or cashew milk.

Tarte dough pressed down into an oval red baking dish on a wooden board

⁠Expert tips:

• Add 1-2 more tablespoons of JOI milk if you find that your dough is too dry to come together when you are mixing it in the bowl.

• Moisten your hands with oil if you find that the dough is not coming together when you are trying to knead it into a ball.

• If the dough cracks at any time when you are trying to fit it into your pie plate or on top of your pie, just pinch and seal to patch it up.

FAQ:

• Can I make oil tarte crust in advance? Yes, divide the dough into two balls, double wrap each in plastic and store in the fridge for up to 2 days. When ready to use, remove from the fridge for about 30-60 minutes to bring to room temperature, and proceed as instructed.

• Can I freeze oil tarte crust? I avoid it, because it is fragile and freezing it will make it more fragile. And to be honest, I’ve never had to since this tarte crust is so quick and easy to make, plus you can make it up to 2 days in advance.

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Meet Chef
Anja Lee

  • Founder of Anja Lee & Company, Anja Lee Catering and Silicon Chef (our company arm of Team-Building Cooking Competitions)
  • Food Network's Supermarket Stakeout CHAMPION! Season 4, Episode 13
  • Competitor in the Food Network's Cutthroat Kitchen
  • Chef for the Golden State Warriors & Cleveland Cavaliers
  • Cookbook author of 2 Cookbooks
  • World traveling culinary artist and master cooking & wine tasting instructor

Anja brings an appreciation for great food and cooking that will keep your team entertained from beginning to end!

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