Gluten Free Spiced Quinoa Pie Crust

I’ve mentioned it before, recipe ideas come to me from all sorts of places. Sometimes it’s a meal, or a supermarket product or even a movie that sparks a new creation, but other times it’s as simple as a ‘have you tried…?’ inquiry or an ‘I wish I could figure out how to…’ request.

A month or so ago a reader named Elisa P emailed saying she loved my Chocolate Quinoa Pie Crust but was wondering if I had ever tried one without the cocoa. I had considered the same thing myself, but this was the push I needed to get on to it!

I first tested this crust and the accompanying filling a few weeks back on an unsuspecting group at the Sydney Food Bloggers Picnic. The crust was nearly perfect but the filling needed a bit of work… having to make Vegan Pumpkin Pie a second time is not a hardship.

Speaking of the picnic, when you have over 60 food bloggers in one location there is bound to be a big pile of caloric wonder on offer.

After seeing the tease on Twitter for days, one of the things I was definitely looking forward to was Nic’s homemade cheese – and it did not disappoint – ripe Camembert and a soft goat cheese cozy-ed up next to two different red-wax-encased wonders. Rhubarb curd meringue tarts from Muppy were sweet and tangy but it was her buttery-flakey-shattery pastry that stole the show.

The spiced cookies with salted caramel butter-cream from Swah were as decadent and sugar-high inducing as they look and sound, and the Thanksgiving inspired turkeys from Gucci and Gyoza had to be the most fun creation of the day.

While I did come home that afternoon with a very successful Secret Santa Swap gift of coloured striped straws, we may not want to talk about how much sugar I consumed… Good thing this pie crust and the accompanying filling is nearly healthy enough to eat for breakfast… and morning tea… and dinner… ahem. Thanks Elisa P for the encouragement to get moving on this recipe – I hope you like this crust as much as the chocolate one!

So tell me, what kind of pie would you use it for?

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Gluten Free Spiced Quinoa Pie Crust

Pressed into a pan like a crumb crust, it bakes up flakey and rich, pairing perfectly with any filling – sweet or savory!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 c quinoa flour
• 2 Tbsp coconut sugar
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp each ginger and cinnamon

• 1/4 c coconut oil, semi-firm*
• 3 Tbsp cold water

METHOD:

Preheat oven to 180C [350F]. Grease the base and sides of a standard pie plate, or a round 20 cm [8 inch] removable base tin. If using a removable base tin, line sides with baking paper.

Mix all dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Add coconut oil and mash through with a fork until well combined and crumbly.

Stir through 2 Tbsp of water first then add the final Tbsp if needed – ‘crumbs’ should hold together when pressed but not be wet.

Turn into prepared pan and press evenly across base and up sides – I use a large spoon.

Refrigerate for 10 minutes, then bake in pre-heated oven for 15 minutes until lightly golden.

Fill to make a Vegan Pumpkin Pie, Vegan Vanilla Cashew Cheesecake or Apple Crumble Pie!

*COOK’S NOTES:

• Coconut Oil: you want the oil to be anything from slightly gloopy to relatively firm. It should not be really solid nor should it be melted, but anything in between will work.

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