Gluten-free pastry recipes

[Marco Stefano]

My elderly mother is following a gluten-free diet, and is doing better on it (she is not coeliac, but, from empirical evidence, seems to be gluten-intolerant).

Mrs Marco made some mean homemade trad pasties last week which were hoovered up by all in the house. Had some filling left over, but had to make a crumbly pie rather than pasties for Mother with gluten-free flour as it just doesn't hang together (Dove Farm flour - potato, rice, tapioca, maize & buckwheat).

So, does anyone have any tips on gluten-free pastry? Want to keep it shortcrust, but at the moment it's unworkably crumbly. Is there a magic ingredient (apart from gluten) which will help? Guar gum or similar? Egg? Or is there a superior flour mix?

Thanks,    Marco.

[slowfen]

There are recipes from both Darina Allen and Phil Vickery which work fairly well. However from experience, gluten free pastry does not roll out at all well, and have resorted to lining tins by applying small amounts of pastry at a time. It does tend to be a very crumbly/short pastry tho

There is also ready made from dietry specials and genius which are easier to use, can be rolled out and fairly good.

[why1040]

If it's truly the gluten protein she's intolerant to, she might be able to try out getting codex wheat starch.  Unfortunately you have to get that on prescription from your doctor here (which is nuts!) rather than buying it in a shop like I did in Sweden*, but it behaves a LOT more like normal flour.  Different doctors are more or less likely to give you this unless you're actually coeliac, but it's often worth asking!  It's basically wheat flour that's had the gluten protein removed.  It won't help if it's a wheat intolerance she's got though-can she cope with pure rye bread? 

Mixing in some isphaghula husk (yes, Fybogel-use the unflavoured version) can also help return a bit of elasticity.  Use about a teaspoon to a normal batch and soak it well as it soaks up liquid like it's going out of fashion!

I also found buckwheat flour held its form a little better than the starches available.  Despite its name, it's not remotely related to wheat and is gluten-free, being related to the rhubarb!  Makes yummy pancakes as it's naturally a little sweeter than wheat flour.   

*When I was gluten intolerant I was importing it in my luggage...legal white powder!