Longblades

Thanks to all who responded. Made nine pies on the weekend, baked one right away and the rest are in the freezer. Seems DH and I still prefer flour in the mix. Plus using tapicoa instead of flour was much more time consuming due to the need to let the mixture sit and absorb first. And nine bowls to wash up. Actually, due to a splitting migraine headache, the mixture sat for several hours and became quite liquid. I anticipate soggy bottom crusts. Don't know the results on the frozen ones yet but the fresh baked had too much tapioca - I used 3 TBs for +4 cups of rhubarb in a 9" pie. We like our pies runny and it wasn't, at all. But maybe the frozen ones will be better as I find more thickener is needed when they are frozen. I had to buy more minute tapicoa and this box did have thickening instructions but I found them to be contradictory as it said to use the same amount as you would for flour or cornstarch. But don't you only need half as much cornstarch as flour for the same amount of thickening?

How much minute tapioca do you use to thicken pie fillings? I read through every one of the rhubarb pie posts and no, the recommended amount is NOT on the box I just purchased. I will be making rhubarb pie but also apple, sour cherry, raspberry and blueberry later in the season. I will freeze most of the pies, unbaked, but would appreciate knowing what amounts you use for immediate baking as well. Also, I will be using tinfoil pie plates that say they are 10" but I think are really more like 9 inchers. They certainly do not hold anywhere near as much as my 10" pyrex pie plate. I tried tapicoa years and years ago and decided I preferred flour but my sister now has a gluten allergy so I'm going to try tapioca again. That way she can at least scrape out the filling and eat it. Can I just substitute equal amounts of minute tapioca for the flour? My method with the flour has been to mix it with the sugar and sprinkle some on the bottom crust, then a layer of fresh fruit. then a sprinkle of flour/sugar, with usually only two of three layers of fruit and finishing with a sprinkle of the flour/sugar. Can I do that with the tapioca? Oh, and strawberries in the rhubarb pie? No way, DH would kill me. Rhubarb is his favourite and he says strawberries contaminate a rhubarb pie.