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Gluten-Free Pie Crust

This pie crust came together like magic. A couple of changes to my original recipe did the trick!

Gluten-free pie crust

This recipe calls for xanthan gum and ground flax meal as binders. The dough is easy to handle, a big improvement over my earlier attempts. You just swoosh in the liquid, and pull together the dry ingredients.
*BAKING TIP*  A light coat of cooking spray on top and bottom parchment paper keeps dough from sticking. 

GLUTEN-FREE PIE CRUST

In a medium-large mixing bowl, blend together dry ingredients:

2/3 C brown rice flour

1/3 C arrowroot powder (or cornstarch)

1 tsp. xanthan gum (sold at health food stores)

¼  tsp. salt

Cut into dry ingredients:

6 Tbs. cold butter

In a small bowl, mix and let sit for five minutes:

1 Tbs. ground flax

3 Tbs. ice water

Instructions: Preheat oven to 325⁰ F

Prepare a Pyrex or metal pie pan with cooking spray.

Add water and flax mixture to dry ingredients. Dampen your hands slightly with water and gather the mixture into a ball. If more moisture is needed, dip hands under water and lightly work into dough until it’s just the right consistency. (Do not add more water directly into the mixture.)

Set a sheet of parchment paper on the countertop.  Spray lightly with cooking spray. Set the dough ball in the center and gently flatten a bit with the palm of your hands. Take a second piece of parchment paper and spray with cooking spray. Set this sheet on top of the dough. With a rolling pin, shape into a circle of about 1/4″ thickness. (You will get the hang of it!) You are working on TOP of the parchment paper and not directly on the dough.

Peel off the top sheet of parchment paper and then very carefully turn the pie crust over top a 9” pie pan. Peel off the bottom sheet of parchment. Then flute the edges – gently – between thumb and forefinger. (If the crust falls apart, gather it together and return to the bottom sheet of parchment, replace the top sheet, dampen your hands, and begin again.)

When you have your crust in the pie pan, set the pan on a cookie sheet. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes, until crust is firm. 

Then take a sheet of lightweight foil (or use parchment) a bit larger than your pie pan. You can trim the edges. And gently set this piece of foil or parchment into your pie pan, over the crust. It can stick out over the edges, but remove any large amount of overhang with scissors. Then put 25 pennies on the foil/parchment. This will weigh down the dough so it doesn’t bubble.

Slide the cookie sheet with your pie pan into the 325⁰ oven and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and carefully remove the foil/parchment and penny weights.

Bake for an additional 5-10 minutes, until the crust is firm and golden brown. (A metal pie pan will require a shorter baking time than Pyrex.) Remove from the oven and add whatever pie filling you desire. Follow instructions for that particular pie.

 

My first filling for this new crust was ZUCCHINI-RICOTTA.  Often, gluten-free baked goods are more difficult to brown than those made with ordinary white flour. I make sure to turn my crust during baking to ensure even heat. Be happy with a lightly browned finished product.

ZUCCHINI-RICOTTA PIE FILLING

1 cup ricotta cheese

¼ cup feta cheese (or other crumpled or grated cheese)

3 eggs

1 tsp. salt

Few dashes pepper

¾ cup grated zucchini PLUS 1/4 cup for topping (substitute asparagus tips, crumpled bacon and spinach, etc.)

½ chopped onion or several stalks diced green onion

Topping: Tomato salsa

Mix in bowl: ricotta, feta (or other) cheese, eggs, squash, onion, salt and pepper. Pour into lightly prebaked crust. Drizzle salsa in a circle and sprinkle remaining zucchini in the center.

One slice left over!

 

Take out the crust and pour in filling. Drizzle salsa over top.

Bake 10 minutes at 400⁰F, and then reduce heat to 350⁰F Bake an additional 20 minutes or until fork comes out clean.

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