Makes: One 9-inch piecrust
Time: 10 minutes, plus time to chill
The quickest and easiest piecrust, which also happens to be both gluten-free and vegan. (It’s tasty enough to satisfy those with no dietary restrictions.) Gather some dried fruit and nuts, give each a whirl in the food processor, and combine. What you’re left with is a sweet, chewy, no-bake crust; finish with any icebox pie filling (pages 285–289) or your favorite pudding or custard.
1. Use a food processor to pulse the nuts to a fine meal—but not so much that they turn to butter. Place in a large bowl and set aside.
2. Add the dried fruit to the food processer with a couple teaspoons of water and grind until a smooth paste forms. Mix the paste with the nuts until combined. Form the “dough” into a disk and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or wrap well and freeze until you’re ready to use it. Press the mixture evenly into a pie plate then add your filling.
NO-BAKE FRUIT AND COCONUT CRUST Substitute 1½ cups shredded unsweetened coconut for the nuts. You can skip processing the coconut, but processing it will produce a finer texture for the crust.
NO-BAKE FRUIT AND GRANOLA CRUST A crunchier take on the chewy crust: Substitute your favorite granola for the nuts. If your granola is super-clumpy, give it a whirl in the food processor.