Both the pastry and graham cracker crust recipes here call for nuts. For a plain crust, simply leave them out and add another 1/2 cup of crushed crackers or flour or, for a different flavor, substitute flaked coconut or dried fruit bits for the nuts.

  Nutty Graham Cracker Shell for 1 (9-inch) pie

Stir together cracker crumbs, almonds, butter, and sugar until evenly combined. Press firmly over bottom and up sides of 9-inch pie pan. Bake in preheated 350-degree oven 8 to 10 minutes. Cool on wire rack.

Nutty Pastry Shell for 1 (9-inch) pie

 

1 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 cup ground pecans or other nuts (about 2 oz.) 1/2 tsp. salt 1/2 cup shortening 1 egg yolk 3 to 4 Tbsp. ice water, divided 2 tsp. lemon juice

   In large bowl, stir together flour, pecans, and salt. Using fork or pastry blender, cut in shortening until pieces are size of small peas. In small bowl, stir together egg yolk, 3 Tbsp. of the ice water, and the lemon juice. Add to flour mixture, mixing lightly with fork until dough just sticks together. If necessary, add remaining 1 Tbsp. water. Using lightly floured hands, press into a ball. On lightly floured surface or pastry cloth, rolling from center to edge, roll into 1/8-inch thick circle about 10 inches in diameter. Place rolling pin at edge of dough and loosely wrap dough around rolling pin. Lift dough-wrapped rolling pin and center dough on 9-inch pie pan or plate. Carefully unroll dough. Fit loosely into 9-inch pie pan or plate, pressing gently to cover bottom and sides of pan. Trim edge and flute, as desired. Prick bottom and sides of dough with fork. For pie pan, bake in preheated 450-degree oven. For pie plate, bake at 425 degrees. For filling which will be baked in pie shell, bake until lightly browned, about 5 to 6 minutes. For filling that will not be baked, bake until golden brown, about 8 to 10 minutes. Cool on wire rack.

2 cups crushed gingersnap cookies (about 36 cookies) 2 Tbsp. sugar 1/2 cup melted butter

   In medium bowl, stir together cookie crumbs and sugar until well blended. Stir in butter. Press onto bottom and sides of 10-inch pie plate. Make 4-inch band of triple thickness aluminum foil long enough to go around plate and overlap 2 inches. Wrap foil around edge of plate, crimping lightly around rim to shield edge of crust.