this blog post has been a long time coming. just like my chocolate chip cookies from a couple weeks ago, i’ve been working towards a final edit of this recipe on and off for a couple of years now. so i cannot tell you how excited i am to finally have a finished product that not only tastes outstanding, but is simple and straightforward to make. not to mention, the ingredient list is pretty minimal too.
growing up my mom was the pie maker of our family and extended family. every year my aunt would ask her to make her apple pie for thanksgiving dessert, and it wasn’t summer without my mom making her blueberry pie. they were always perfectly latticed, the edges impeccably crimped, and the filling just tender and not overly sweetened. but the crust. the crust was the best part. even before i ate the fruit part (i was super picky) i ate the crust. almost biscuit-like - it was flaky, and buttery, and had the perfect lick of salt. along with pie making there was also cursing (probably my first memory of her doing so, she rarely used expletives). if you’ve ever made pie crust in your life then you know temperature and humidity play a role. we didn’t have air conditioning, and humid new york summers were not a pie’s best friend. i just remember my mom using lots of 4-letter words, frantic pie dough rolling, and praying to the pie gods that everything would turn out ok. it always did, every pie turned out heavenly.
needless to say, the pie-bar is pretty high. and that’s where this pie crust comes in. to put it simply, it’s a spitting image of the memory i have of my mom’s pies. flaky, and buttery with that distinctive hit of salt. but because it’s gluten-free and vegan, we treat it a bit differently. a traditional pie dough made with flour containing gluten is inherently going to have some elasticity, therefore making it easier to handle. with a gluten-free pie dough there is zero elasticity making it a bit more difficult to handle, but no need to worry, we have a couple tricks to get around some of the difficulty:
parchment paper - parchment paper is going to be your friend here. we roll the dough out onto a large sheet of parchment paper. whether you’re making a pie or a galette, we start here first.
psyllium husk powder - if you’ve made my pizza dough or garlic knots recipe, or if you have my book, then you know i rely on psyllium husk powder to give certain recipes a bit of elasticity (among other things). is it essential to this recipe? i think so. but you could also replace it with 1 egg yolk if need be. psyllium husk powder is a wonderful source of soluble fiber. it’s typically taken in supplement form, but it’s similar to ground flaxseed when combined with water to form a gel-like consistency. this gel is what gives life to this pie dough. while i’ve made this recipe by replacing the psyllium husk with an egg yolk, i much prefer the texture when made with psyllium husk powder. (psyllium husk powder can be found in the supplements section of your grocer, or online.)
food processor - while it’s not essential, this is the way i make my pie dough, and i have not tried making it without one. keeping this dough cool is essential in any pie dough, but especially with gluten-free dough, as it can easily become too wet and sticky. a food processor is my preferred tool, as it’s quick and keeps the dough chilled.
galette vs. pie - i’m going to argue that making a galette is an easy trick in making this whole gluten-free-and-vegan pie thing easier. simply because when making a pie, you have to transfer the rolled dough sheet to a pie dish. for gluten-free dough, this is a delicate task - because, no gluten! for galettes we simply form everything right on parchment paper which helps support a somewhat delicate dough. then, with the galette filled and formed, we slide it onto a baking sheet. a galette provides you with everything a pie offers, plus it’s bit more rustic
super easy gluten-free & vegan pie crust recipe
| makes 1 pie crust |
notes:
since gluten-free pie crust is more delicate, i tend to go the route of a galette. however, you could easily double this recipe and have yourself a traditional pie, or 2 galettes! as for substitutions, i wouldn’t make any. if you’re familiar with pie crust then you know how fickle it can be. because we’re already testing the pie gods by making this gluten-free and vegan, i would advise to keep the recipe as is ;)
stone fruit & blueberry pie recipe below
method
place the flours, tapioca starch, sugar, and salt in the container of a food processor fitted with a metal “s” blade. pulse a few times to combine.
add the butter. pulse until the butter is the size of peas, roughly 5-8 times. with the machine running, pour the water through the feed tube. start with 5 tablespoons water, adding more water 1 tablespoon at a time if necessary, until the dough forms a solid, but not wet ball.
dump the dough out onto a large piece of plastic wrap. shape the dough into an oval with about 1-inch thickness. wrap it up and refrigerate for 1 hour. (you could also freeze the dough for up to 3 months.)
when you’re ready to use the dough, take it out of the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes.
to roll the dough, place a big piece of parchment paper on a flat, clean surface. dust it well with flour, and place the dough in the center. dust a rolling pin with more flour, and roll from the center out, turning and flouring the dough as needed until you have a large circular shape with about 1/8-inch thickness. there likely will be cracks in the dough, just pinch the dough back together and continuing working.
ingredients
1 cup (140 g) superfine brown rice flour, plus more for dusting
1/4 cup (25 g) oat flour
1/4 cup (30 g) tapioca starch
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar, plus more for sprinkling
1 teaspoon psyllium husk powder
3/4 teaspoon fine salt
4 ounces (1/2 cup) cold miyoko’s cultured vegan butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
5-8 tablespoons ice water
stone fruit blueberry galette
method
remove the stones from the peaches and nectarines and slice them evenly into pieces. toss the fruit slices, blueberries, tapioca starch, lemon juice, and salt together in a large bowl.
roll out the dough according to the instructions above.
once the dough is rolled out, spread the hazelnut flour over it, leaving roughly a 2-inch edge.
arrange the peach and nectarine slices over the dough, leaving that 2-inch border again. tuck the blueberries over top and in the crevices of the stone fruit. slide your hand below the parchment paper to gently fold the 2-inch border of dough over the fruit (if you have any cracks in the dough, gently pinch them back together).
slide everything (the galette on the parchment paper) onto a cookie sheet and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
while the galette chills, preheat the oven to 425°F.
remove the galette from the fridge and brush with almond milk; generously sprinkle with cane sugar all around the dough.
bake in the center of your oven for 40-45 minutes, until lightly browned and golden, and fruit is tender.
let the pie cool on a rack for at least 20 minutes. before serving, brush the fruit with a bit of maple syrup (i like doing this to make it a bit shiny, but it’s totally optional).
slice and serve!
ingredients
1 1/2 pounds mixed peaches, nectarines, blueberries
1/4 cup monkfruit sugar (or cane sugar)
1 1/2 tablespoons tapioca starch
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
pinch of salt
1 flaky gluten-free & vegan pie crust (recipe above)
2 tablespoons hazelnut flour or almond flour
almond milk, for brushing
cane sugar or demerera sugar, for sprinkling
maple syrup, for brushing (optional)
