gluten-free pie!

When I had to go gluten-free (almost a year ago!), we were moving and you could say our life was a little slice of crazy.  I wanted to start simple and just figure out a week's worth of fast, easy GF recipes our family would like, that wouldn't bust our budget...then build from there.  I had a mental list of foods I wanted to learn to make GF eventually.  Pie crust was high on that list.  But there comes a point when you get tired of trying out new recipes that flop.  After several rounds of take the time to hunt for a recipe, give your best GF flours a whirl, only to pull from the oven a taste-less, gritty mess...I gave up.  Until a fellow GF-er told me about this recipe {Thank you, Sara!}  We have put it to the test with the pickiest of palates, and all sorts of variations, and so far, so great! 

gluten-free pie crust
makes a single 9 inch pie crust 
ingredients:

1 stick butter, softened
1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons gluten-free all-purpose flour*
2 Tablespoons cold water
Work together the butter and flour with hands until crumbly. Add 2 Tablespoons cold water, stir. Place crust mixture into pie pan and pat the pie crust in the pan using your hands. Shape crust edges as you’d like (I dip my fingers in water to keep the crust from sticking to my fingers).  Set aside and continue with desired filling.  OR, if making into a cream pie, bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, or until golden (this is where I'm excited for a new oven, because I know the temp. is off in the one I'm using, so set the timer for 10 minutes and check the crust periodically.)      


{*For gluten-free all-purpose flour, I use a mixture of 4 cups brown rice flour,  1 1/3 cup potato starch, 2/3 cup tapioca starch}

I have made this crust for cherry pie, banana cream pie {above}, apple pie, chocolate pudding pie, strawberry pie and quiche, and loved them all (except the strawberry pie, but that was my fault, not the crust's...)

And just because I like ya...
My Grandma Hazel's Cherry Pie
Unbaked 9" double pie shell (*OR see below),
Mix in large pan:
1 cup sugar 
4 T. flour (I use 3 T. cornstarch, or you can substitute GF flour)
1/4 t. almond extract
Stir in:
2 1/2 pitted sour red pie cherries and juice (I use fresh-picked, or frozen)
Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until thickens and boils.  Pour into pastry-lined pan.  Dot with 1 1/2 T. butter.  {Quickly cover with top crust.  Cut slits into the top. OR *See Below.}  Bake at 425 degrees until nicely browned and juice begins to bubble through slits in crust, 30-40 minutes.


*Since the above pie crust recipe makes a single layer, before baking, I top it with the following gluten-free crumb topping:
Combine in a bowl:  3/4 cup GF oats, 3/4 cup GF flour, 1/2 cup brown sugar (or sucanat), 1/4 cup chopped nuts, 1/3 cup melted butter, 1/4 t. baking powder, 1/4 t. baking soda, 1/4 t. salt.  This makes enough crumb topping for 2 pies, and is super-good on cherry, apple, and peach pie.

There it is.  Gluten-free pie!  Now you can have your pie, and eat it too!