America, but according to Patsy Hester, owner of Ozona Flour Mill & Goods—which is currently the only source of Texas-produced mesquite flour—interest in locally produced honey-mesquite flour is growing. Considering the abundance of mesquite trees in Texas, this time-honored yet often maligned hero could finally reclaim its important heritage and place in history, as well as become part of the state’s culinary and economic future. The following recipes take advantage of the unique flavor qualities mesquite flour has to offer.
PECAN PIE WITH MESQUITE FLOUR CRUST Makes 1 pie For the piecrust: 2 /3 c. brown rice flour 2 /3 c. sweet rice flour ½ c. mesquite flour 1 /3 c. tapioca starch 1 /3 c. arrowroot starch 1 T. ground white chia seeds or flaxseeds ¼ t. Himalayan pink salt 1 T. sugar 11 T. cold butter, cut into small pieces 1 egg, beaten 1–2 T. milk, as needed In a large bowl, mix together the dry ingredients. Using a pastry cutter or your fingers, cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles rough cornmeal (larger pieces of flour-covered butter will still be visible). Add in the beaten egg and use your hands to knead it into the flour mixture until it forms a ball of dough (this process may take a while). Once the dough forms into a ball, if it’s too dry (i.e., if it cracks when formed into a disk), add a tablespoon at a time of the milk and knead until the milk is completely incorporated into the dough. Form the dough into a disk, wrap it in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. Then, roll the dough between 2 pieces of waxed paper until it forms a circle large enough to fill and slightly overhang a 9-inch pie plate. Carefully peel the top piece of waxed paper off the rolled-out piecrust, center the crust over the pie plate and ease the crust into the plate while slowly and carefully peeling the waxed paper off the crust. Form the crust into the plate and crimp the edges. Carefully cover the crust with plastic wrap and return it to the refrigerator for 20 minutes. While the piecrust is chilling, make the pie filling
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For the filling: 1 c. brown sugar ½ c. cane sugar 1 T. brown rice flour 3 eggs, beaten 3 T. milk 4 T. butter, melted ¼ t. Himalayan pink salt 1 c. coarsely chopped pecans Heat the oven to 350°. Using a mixer or food processor, mix together all the ingredients except the pecans. When the filling is well blended, stir in the pecans—making sure all the pieces are well coated with the filling. Pour into the prepared, chilled pie shell and bake until the crust is golden and the filling is puffy but still slightly wobbly in the center—about 40 to 45 minutes. The filling will settle down and solidify as it cools.