Extra Flaky Gluten Free Pie Crust

 This comes from Gluten Free on a Shoestring.

1 1/2 cups All Purpose Gluten Free Flour 

3/4 tsp Xanthan Gum 

1/4 tsp Baking Powder

1/2 tsp Kosher Salt

6 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter

1/2 cup Sour Cream

Add ice water

Directions:

In a large bowl, place flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, and salt. Whisk to combine well. Add the chopped and chilled butter and toss to coat in the dry ingredients.

Flatten each chunk of butter between your fingers. Add the sour cream and mix to moisten the dry ingredients with the sour cream. The dough should be shaggy and somewhat crumbly.

Knead the dough together with clean hands until it begins to come together. Add ice water until the dough holds together.

Turn the dough onto a sheet of plastic wrap and press into a disk as you close the plastic wrap around it. It will seem rough. Place the dough in the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes.

Preheat your oven to 375. Grease a 9 inch metal pie plate generously and set aside.

Once the dough has chilled turn it out onto a lightly floured piece of parchment paper. Sprinkle the dough lightly with more flour and roll out into a rectangle that is about 1 inch thick moving the dough frequently and sprinkle it lightly with flour if it begins to stick. 

Fold the dough over on itself like you would a business letter. Sprinkle the dough again lightly with flour and roll out the dough once again into a rectangle about 1 inch thick. 

Twice more remove the top piece of parchment paper, sprinkle lightly with flour and fold the dough over on itself like you would a business letter.

Roll the dough into an approximately 12 inch round about 3/8 inch thick. Roll the pie crust loosely onto the rolling pin and the unroll it over the prepared pie plate.

Trim the edges of the crust with kitchen shears. Lift up the edges of the crust to create slack in the crust and place the crust into the bottom and up the sides of the pie plate, tuck the excess pie crust under itself and crimp the edge gently all the way around the crust by pinching the dough at regular intervals with one hand and creating a crimped impression with the forefinger of the other hand. Cover the pie crust with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to chill until firm. (About 30 minutes and up to 3 days).

Remove the pie crust from the refrigerator and unwrap and discard the plastic. Pierce the bottom of the pie crust all over with a fork. 

Place a sheet of parchment paper on top of the raw crust and cover the bottom with pie weights. 

Place in the center of the oven and bake until the crust is golden brown on the edges about 10 minutes.

Remove the pie weights and parchment paper and allow the crust to cool before proceeding with your recipe.

Ina Garten’s Winter Squash Soup

 Ingredients:

2 Tbs unsalted butter

1 Tbs olive oil

2 cups chopped yellow onion

1 15 oz can pumpkin

1 1/2 pounds butternut squash, peeled and cut into chunks

3 cups chicken broth or stock

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

1 cup half and half

Crème Fraiche, grated Gruyère or croutons

Heat butter and oil in a stockpot. Add the onion and cook over medium low heat for 10 minutes. Add the pumpkin, squash, chicken stock, salt and pepper.

Cover and simmer over medium low heat for about 20 minutes (until the squash is tender). Process the mixture through a food processor. 

Return to the pot and add the half and half and heat slowly. If the soup needs more flavor add another tsp of salt. Serve hot with preferred garnishes.