It's PIE time!!!!

Ok, so JUST to start off.....I have found THE best recipe for gluten free pie crust EVER! I made ONE slight modification which I will let you know what that is in a bit. I am SO excited to share this with you all and in my humble little opinion it was every bit as good as a glutified pie crust :)

We start with the pear...my most favoritest of all fruits.

Next....is GINGER.....now, I am SURE y'all have not noticed my love, or more to the point....OBSESSION with a odd and disfigured looking item named ginger. So any recipe I get my little hands on that contains that particular ingredient WILL be made in my kitchen. So the pairing of my two favoritest things makes for some tastebud heaven in my book. That being said, lets get started!

Now, I DO want to let everyone know, there is an insanely huge post coming highlighting a gluten free feast for Thanksgiving, but who DOESN'T love dessert first? (Now to start, I do have to apologize for some of the pictures. My power went out at 6am when I was trying to finish up my early Thanksgiving dinner, so a lot of the pie preparation was unfortunately done in the dark.)

Starting out, you will want to peel and slice 5 cups of pears. I have made this recipe with many types of pears and the results have always been nice. Now as I am intollerant of corn, I used arrowroot flour in place of cornstarch. The great thing about arrowroot is that it can be substituted in exact measurements for cornstarch. It's a WONDERFUL thing to have on hand if your tummy or body is not fond of our eared and husked vegetable friend. 

Once your pears are all nicely sliced, add 1 1/2 Tablespoons arrowroot flour or cornstarch, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 cup packed brown sugar, 1/4 cup pure maple syrup, 2 Tablespoons lemon juice, 1/4 cup golden raisins (optional), and 1/2 teaspoon minced ginger. Give that mixture a good tossing, then place in the refrigerator.

Next, get your topping put together. Start out with 1/2 cup tapioca flour and 1/2 cup gluten free oat flour (if you do not have this, brown rice flour will work fine), 1/2 cup packed brown sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 cup gluten free oats (you can also use Quinoa Flakes cereal in place of the gluten free oats).

Set that mixture aside and then get going on your totally awesome and amazing gluten free pie crust. Now I got this recipe from Robert M. Landolphi's cook book Gluten Free EVERYDAY. I was amazed at how easy this was to make and was even MORE amazed at how delish the crust was. Another great thing about making a gluten free pie crust is the dough is not NEAR as temperamental as a regular pie crust and as there is no gluten, you will not ever overwork it. To make your pie crust, you will need a rolling pin, two sheets of wax paper, medium bowl, and cling wrap. (now here is my revision...the book calls for 2 1/4 cups white rice flour)  In the bowl, whisk together 1/2 and 1/8th cup brown rice flour and 1/2 and 1/8th cup sweet rice flour, 1 cup tapioca flour, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon xanthun gum, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Once blended well, cut in 1/2 cup butter flavored shortening and 4 tablespoon chilled butter. *a tip for adding the chilled butter is to grate the cold butter into the flour mixture* It makes it much easier to blend it into the flour. Once your flour mixture is evenly blended into a coarse meal with pieces approximately the size of peas, slowly pour in 1/2 cup milk. Once your dough is binding together and mixed well, form into a ball wrap it up with the cling wrap and place in the refrigerator and chill it for at least 2 hours and it will keep for up to 2 days.

When your pie is ready to bake, pre-heat your oven to 350. Grease your pie plate. Next, get your pieces of wax paper, place the dough ball in between both pieces.

Now roll out your dough into approximately a 12" disk. Next, carefully remove the top wax paper, then carefully place your pie plate in the center of the dough then carefully turn it over and remove the remaining wax paper. Carefully set the dough inside the plate, cut off the excess, and crimp your edges.

Spoon the filling into the pie, place on a cookie sheet, then into the oven and bake for 35 minutes. At 35 minutes spoon the topping on your pie, then dot with butter.

(lets not notice Jill's prehistoric oven ok?)

check the edges of your crust. If they are starting to brown, cover up the edges with tin foil to protect them from burning. Bake another 10-15 minutes. 

 VOILA!!!

Here is your recipe breakdown:

Ginger Maple Pie

5 cups peeled sliced pears
1 1/2 teaspoon arrowroot flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 cup golden raisins
1/2 teaspoon minced or powdered ginger

Topping
1/2 cup gluten free oat flour
1/2 cup tapioca flour
1/2 cup gluten free oats or Quinoa flakes
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup butter

Preheat oven to 350

Place sliced pears in a large bowl with the arrowroot, ginger, brown sugar, maple syrup, lemon juice, salt, and raisins. Place in the refrigerator until pie crust is ready.

When the gluten-free pie crust is ready to be filled, pour in the pear mixture. Place pie on a cookie sheet, place in the center of the oven, and bake for 35 minutes.

While pie is baking, prepare the topping by mixing together oat flour, tapioca flour, gluten-free oats, and salt. After 35 minutes of baking, spread topping on the pie and dot with butter. Bake for an additional 10-15 minutes.

*with gluten free baking, you will need to be vigilant in checking the crust. If it starts to brown too quickly, cover the edges of the pie crust with tinfoil.

Pie Crust

1/2 cup and 2 tablespoons brown rice flour
1/2 cup and 2 tablespoons sweet rice flour
1 cup tapioca flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter flavored shortening
4 tablespoons chilled butter
1/2 cup milk

In a medium bowl, whisk together the rice flours, tapioca flours, sugar, baking soda, xanthan gum, and salt. Add the shortening and butter then cut into the flour. When the shortening and butter are evenly blended and the dough is coarse meal and the crumbles are the size of small peas slowly add the milk and mix well. When the dough sticks together and can be molded, form into a ball, wrap with cling wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Can be kept up to 2 days. Next, place the chilled dough in between two pieces of wax paper then roll out the dough into approximately a 12" disk. Next, carefully remove the top wax paper, then carefully place a pie plate in the center of the dough then carefully turn it over and remove the remaining wax paper. Carefully set the dough inside the plate, cut off the excess, and crimp your edges.