Gluten-Free Apple Pie

Sweet Elena’s

There must be some sort of spell cast. Maybe they made a midnight deal involving a soul or two. Perhaps they dusted off an old lamp. However they managed it, the gluten-free pie crust at Sweet Elena’s Artisan Bakery and Cafe is so rich and flaky it would be impossible to pick it out from a lineup of regular glutinous crusts, unless you had been told in advance.

The secret? “Lots of butter,” proprietor Elena Salsedo says with a laugh.

Yes, there is more to it, including a special flour available to bakers, along with a deft touch. She has so much confidence in the crust, Salsedo fits it on top of her gluten-free apple pie. The nutty, buttery character suits large rings of juicy (and wonderfully al dente) apple. And because Salsedo and her crew spice the filling so sparingly, there’s a freshness that pops from each bite. The apples are local and organic. Salsedo warns that people accustomed to canned filling often think hers is undercooked. She prefers, however, to let the fruit and the crust—and all that butter—speak for themselves and provide the holiday smiles.

SWEET ELENA’S ARTISAN BAKERY and Cafe, 465 Olympia Ave., Sand City. 393-2063, sweetelenas.com