I live on the edge of Beaverton, Oregon. My HOA association does not allow gardens that bear fruit, so I go gleaning and rummaging through the fields, abandoned gardens and neighboring homes for food. I have harvest cherries, apricots, blackberries and raspberries, tomatoes, plums, walnuts, chestnuts and wild asparagus and pot herbs. I have frozen much of the fruit, and right now I am curing much of the nuts. It's very comforting, especially with being on the edge.
Sometime you need food to feed the soul. What with all the nonsense going on, sometimes you need something comforting that you made your self. I have made this pie and let me tell you this make your house smell very lovely, and it will soften your mood as you take time out with friends and family and try to figure the world out.
Fall Plum pie is friendly to both vegans and omnivores. For those of us with gluten difficulties I have include a vegan gluten free pie crust recipe.
Enjoy!
Fall Plum Pie
2 cups sliced Italian or damson plums
½ teaspoon cardamom
½ teaspoon nutmeg
2 teaspoons cinnamon
6 tablespoons brown sugar or honey or maple syrup
2 tablespoons of dark rum or port or sherry
½ recipe of Pate Brissé or Gluten Free Pie crust
Mix fruit, spices, sweetener and rum or port together in a bowl and let sit for about ½ hour. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350F. Fill pie crust and place in oven. You may want to arrange the plums neatly, since this an open pie. If you are using the gluten free pie crust put that on the bottom rack for about 5-10 minutes to brown adequately, then finish cooking in the middle rack. If you are using the pate brissé, bake in the middle rack for about 35 minutes. You will know that it is done by a brown crust, bubbly, sticky plums.
Cool slightly, and serve with vanilla ice cream or vegan ice cream or whipped marscarpone cream.
Pate Brissé- slightly sweeter
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
1/4 to 1/2 cup ice water
Combine first 5 ingredients in the food processor until it resembles sandy crumbs. Then, very slowly, add the cold water and pulse until the dough hold together without being sticky or wet. Take out of the processor and roll the dough with your hands into a ball, then divide in half. Chill for one hour.
Roll out one half of the dough into a disc, then place your 9 inch pie plate over this. Invert the dough into the plate, and then flip. Crimp edges into place. Fill and bake!
Gluten Free Pie Crust:
Gluten Free Baking Mix:
1 ½ cups Sorghum Flour
1 ½ cups potato starch or cornstarch
1 cup tapioca flour
This makes about 4 cups. Credit to Carol Fenster, PH.D for this recipe.
Pie Crust Recipe:
1 cup Gluten free baking mix
2/3 cup tapioca flour
½ cup almond meal
1 teaspoon each of xanthan and guar gum.
½ teaspoon salt
¾ teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons sugar
½ cup coconut oil or vegan shortening
½ cup milk (soy, almond, rice )
1 teaspoon cider vinegar or lemon juice
- In a food processor, combine all the dry ingredients, sugar and shortening and blend well, until it looks like sandy crumbs. Add milk and cider vinegar and blend until the dough forms a ball. Take out of processor, flatten slightly into a disc and chill for an hour.
- Remove dough from refrigerator and massage with your hands until pliable. Split dough in half and roll out to a 10 inch circle. Place your 9 inch pie plate over this and invert the rolled out dough unto the plate. Press the dough into the plate and crimp the edges. Freeze remaining dough for another pie.