Date Pie with Einkorn Crust

This is my mom's favorite pie. Dates are her thing, and growing up her mom always made her date pie. I made this with an einkorn flour crust that is buttery and so good for you. You can also make it with regular flour or sprouted flour, but you'll be missing out on this superior and ancient wheat. Dates are loaded with fiber and have a very impressive nutrient profile and make a caramel-tasting filling that can't be beaten. Top this with kefir whipped topping and you have a pie you'll want to make again and again.

Equipment

9" inch pie pan

Ingredients

Einkorn Pie Crust (this makes a double pie crust and you can freeze the other half for later)

2½ cups Einkorn All Purpose Flour (You can substitute regular flour or sprouted flour too)
¾ teaspoon Celtic Sea Salt
1 cup cold unsalted butter 8 ounces
6-7 tablespoons ice water

Date Filling

10 ounces medjool dates (you can use other dates but soften them in warm water for 20 minutes then drain before using them)
1 cup maple syrup
3 large eggs
¼ teaspoon Celtic Sea Salt
2 cups Pecan Pieces Split into different amounts

Kefir Whipped Topping

1 cup Whipped Kefir Topping

Instructions

Einkorn Crust

Cut the cold butter into small cubes.
Add the einkorn flour, salt, and butter to a food processor fitted with an S blade. Pulse several times until flour and butter look like small peas. Don't over mix.
Sprinkle the mixture with 6 tablespoons of cold water and pulse for about 30 seconds or until the flour mixture comes together into a ball. Do not over mix. Add an extra tablespoon or two of water if it's not coming together.
Move the mixture to a work surface that is dusted with flour. Using your hands, quickly pack the dough into a ball (like you’re packing a snowball). Then flatten the ball into two 3/4-inch thick disks.
Wrap and chill the dough: Wrap the dough disks tightly in plastic wrap, then refrigerate (freeze the extra disk) for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour, until ready to roll out and use.
Once the dough has chilled, transfer the dough to a well-floured work surface. Unwrap and lightly dust the top of the dough and the rolling pin with flour. Then gently roll the dough into a circle that is at least 12 inches in diameter (the perfect size for a 9-inch pie plate).
Carefully transfer the dough to the pie plate, and gently press the dough into the sides of the plate without stretching it. Use kitchen shears or a knife to trim off any excess pastry, leaving about a 1-inch border of crust around the top of the pie plate. Use your fingers to press the dough to form a scalloped edge, or create whatever other decorative crust design you prefer. Chill pie crust for at least 15 minutes while making the filling.

Date Filling

With a clean food processor and S blade, add dates, maple syrup, eggs, salt, and ¾ cup of pecans to the bowl. Process until the dates are broken down and you have a relatively smooth batter.
Pour ½ cup of pecans into the bottom of the pie crust and spread them out evenly. Pour the batter on top of the nuts and smooth it out evenly. Top the pie with the remaining nuts spreading evenly across the batter.
Place the pie in the oven at 350°F for 50 minutes. When it's done, the top will be dry and the filling will feel firm.
Allow the pie to cool for at least two hours so the filling will firm up. You can place it in the fridge to speed it along.
Top with Whipped Kefir Topping and serve. Store pie on the counter for up to 3 days or in the fridge for a week.