Recipe: Gluten-free pie crust by Susan Hart

“We must have a pie. Stress can’t exist in the presence of a pie.” — David Mamet

It’s pie time! I find making pie crust to be a challenge, but one worth meeting. Pie has become the main event of the Thanksgiving meal for me — just because it’s so hard to come by on a regular basis. I’d like to share this pie crust recipe with you. I find it consistent in outcome, and pretty easy to handle.

I use my Help Yourself — It’s Gluten-free flour mix, which can be found in Carson City at Sierra Acupuncture’s shop or in Reno at the Great Basin Community Food Co-op.

Gluten-free Pie Crust

Makes two 9-inch single crusts or one 2-crust pie

Ingredients

2 cups Help Yourself — It’s Gluten-free flour mix, or other gluten-free baking flour

2 tablespoons arrowroot starch

1 teaspoon xanthan gum

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) butter or canola-based margarine

1 egg, cold

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons ice water

2 tablespoons orange juice, chilled

Gluten-free flour, for rolling out (about 1/2 cup)

Directions

Mix all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter. In a medium bowl, beat the egg, then mix in the vinegar, ice water and orange juice. Make a well in the dry ingredients, pour in the liquids, and mix together gently. I find in our dry climate, a little more ice water is usually necessary. The dough should be tacky to the touch, but not overly sticky.

Divide the dough in two equal balls and wrap them in gluten-free floured plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least one hour. More is better, and overnight is OK, too. Take the dough out of the refrigerator about 20 minutes before you roll it out.

When you’re ready to roll the dough, place two sheets plastic wrap, slightly overlapping, on a smooth surface and flour it with more gluten-free flour. Put the dough on the floured wrap, sprinkle a little flour on the dough, put a piece of plastic wrap over that, and roll it out. When it’s the right size, slip your hand under the bottom layer of plastic wrap and invert it into the pie pan.

If it’s a single crust pie for a cold filling, crimp the edges and you’re ready to bake the crust at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes. If the crust needs to be baked with the filling, it should be baked according to the recipe for that pie. I like the recipes for pecan and pumpkin pie in the first Silver Palate cookbook.

If it’s a filled pie with two crusts, place the filling in the pan with the rolled crust, repeat the process for the top crust, cut a few vents in the top and bake according to the directions for that pie.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Susan Hart has been cooking gluten-free for 20 years. Check out her website, HelpYourself-GF.com or email her at glutenfree.hart@gmail.com.