Gluten free pie crusts have always been a challenge for me. They break easily and are difficult to work with. I struggle with the roll-out to the transfer in the pie tin. Pies are supposed to be pretty and neat.
But the rustic pie, now that is MY sort of thing. Slightly misshapen flaky dough wrapped around delicious, soft peaches. It is every bit of pie, but in my opinion, easier to make and more appetizing to look at. They bake quicker than a normal pie and it’s a little easier to tell when the pie is fully cooked. I especially like the fold of crispy pie crust over the top of the peaches. This rustic pie was absolutely delicious topped with French vanilla bean ice cream!
You will often find these pies called galettes or free form pies. Regardless of what you call it, enjoy!
*If you don’t have tapioca starch (same as tapioca flour) you can substitute ¼ cup of gluten free flour.
Update – you can leave those peach skins on! They work well in a rustic tart. Peel if you prefer, but they soften up nicely when baked.
Gluten Free Rustic Peach Tart
Ingredients
Pie Dough
- 1 ½ cups (225g) gluten free flour blend
- ½ teaspoon guar or xanthan gum omit if in blend
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon white granulated sugar
- 5 Tbs unsalted butter cold
- ¼ cup vegetable shortening chilled
- 5-6 Tbs ice water
Filling
- 4-5 medium peaches sliced ½ inch thick
- ¼ cup tapioca starch
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- pinch of kosher salt
- ½ cup brown sugar
Egg Wash
- 1 egg
- 1 Tbs heavy cream
- 1 Tbs raw sugar
Instructions
- Pie dough:
- Combine gluten free flour, guar gum and salt in a medium bowl. Using a pastry blender, add vegetable shortening and butter until crumbly (butter pieces should be smaller than pea-sized). Begin by adding 4-5 Tbs of ice water and combining using hand until all the flour is mixed in. The dough should just come together. You don't want too much water where the dough gets sticky, but just enough to bring the flours together. If you need to add more water, add 1 Tbs at a time. Shape dough into a disc and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Can be made 1-2 days ahead of time.
- When you're ready to assemble the pie, preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Transfer the parchment paper to a flat surface to make rolling the dough easier. Remove pie dough from refrigerator, unwrap from plastic wrap and place on parchment paper. Flatten out the plastic wrap and place over the top of the pie dough. This will help roll out the pie dough without it sticking to your rolling pin. Using a rolling pin, roll the pie dough out until approximately 14 inches in diameter. Gently peel the plastic wrap off the dough and discard.
- Filling:
- In a medium bowl, toss tapioca starch (same as tapioca flour), cinnamon and a pinch of salt with the peaches until the peaches are coated. Beginning approximately 2 inches from the edge of the rolled pie dough, place the peaches one at a time in a pin-wheel fashion, beginning from the outside working toward the center. (Remember, this is rustic! Dump the peaches in the middle if you're not feeling fancy.) Sprinkle brown sugar over the top of the peaches. Now for the more technical part (in my opinion!). You will need to fold the edges of the dough over the pie filling. Gluten free pie dough is delicate and breaks easily...fortunately you can gently press together any breaks. I've found the easiest way to fold the dough is to make slits in the dough perpendicular to the peaches, 2 inches apart. Fold one section over the peaches at a time, working in a clockwork pattern until the dough is completely folded over the peaches. Transfer the pie on the parchment paper to the baking sheet.
- Egg wash:
- In a small bowl, whisk 1 egg and heavy cream until combined. Using a pastry brush, gently brush the egg mixture over the pie dough. Sprinkle with a coarse sugar, like raw sugar, on the pie dough. Bake for 35 minutes, or until the pie crust is golden brown on top.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly before slicing. Serve with whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
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