It's Pi Day!!! You know, 3/14/15 (@ 9:26:53 even)--the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter. And we're celebrating with a whole weekend of pies, both sweet and savoury, store-bought and homemade.
In prepping this email about all things pie, I exchanged several email with my Aunt T, the family baker. She confirmed some directions AND sent more recipes (now in the Heritage Pie section below.)
Here are some of the recipes we're considering, my compendium of pie (with a few incomplete recipes and a few I'm thinking about trying).
HERITAGE PIE
Custard Pie from Bammie and Aunt T
Chocolate:
1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups milk
3 egg yolks
3 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup sugar
Coconut Custard: The custard pie recipe Aunt Quilt uses, this time chocolate. She made Coconut Custard for Gommie's birthday, just omit cocoa and add 2 handfuls of coconut to the custard and then sprinkle more on top of the meringue (which is just 3 whites and 6 T sugar whipped)
No instructions, and I can't recall if you cook it over double boiler or how long you bake it. I've emailed my aunt for the directions.
Aunt T's note: The first recipe for chocolate pie is the one I use for coconut and lemon also. I combine the flour and sugar dry. I sometimes use salt and sometimes not. I don't know why. I add the cocoa to this dry mixture when it is chocolate. Then I add the egg yolks and milk. The butter nilla are added after the custard has cooked and thickened and you have taken it off the fire. Somehow I never got a double boiler so I have always used the bottom of a pressure cooker I got from my Grammy. It is very heavy aluminum. I stir the mixture constantly, though until it boils which shows it is cooked and as thick as it is going to get. When I make coconut, I essentially do as you said and use Southern coconut , not angle flake. Be sure on all that the whites for the meringue are whipped completely before you add the sugar.
Bammie's Lemon Pie
**need to get amounts; photo of recipe is cut off
1 cup sugar
?? eggs
2 tablespoons flour
3 tablespoons cornstarch
pinch salt
2 cups boiling water
grated rind of two lemons
4 tablespoons lemon juice
Mix sugar, starch, flour, salt. Add egg yolk and cream together. Add boiling water. Cook til thick stirring constantly. Take from fire. Add lemon juice and rind. Cook a few minutes longer. Pour into pre-baked pie shell.
Aunt T's note: The lemon recipe you included is not familiar to me. To make a lemon I use the same recipe as for the others. Of course, eliminate the cocoa. Instead of two cups milk, I use 1 1/2 cups milk and 1/2 cup lemon juice.
I will check my book to see if I can find that other lemon one. It might be Cleo's French Lemon Pie, but I don't know.
Grammy could make pies, but mother never seemed to be able to or maybe she just did not want to. I think I always made the pies.
Aunt T's note: I found nothing that looked like what you describe. The closest thing I found
was a note from Aunt Maggie on what was supposed to be a recipe for Butter Scotch Pie
written in the handwriting of Daddy's mother, Virgie. I don't think mother ever could make it.
Butter Scotch Pie
Cook together
2 1/2 Cups brown sugar
3 Tablespoons butter
After butter and sugar has been cooked, add the following
until like custard.
2 Cups milk
Yolk of 3 eggs
3 Tablespoons flour
I presume you were supposed to pour it into a cooked pie shell.
Cleo's French Lemon Pie
4 eggs
2/3 Cup butter
1 1/2 Tablespoons flour
2 Cup sugar
3/4 Cup cream
1/4 Cup lemon juice, and grated rine
1/2 Teaspoon lemon extract
Cream butter and sugar. Add egg and flour until creamy. Add cream and mix lightly.
Add lemon juice, rine and extract.
Put into unbaked pit shell.
300 degrees F for 30 minutes
Have fun. Aunt T
CRUST
Church Pie Crust, our favorite
Makes 2 crusts
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup or 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter
1/3 + 1 tablespoon ice water
*Grammy and Aunt T's Original Oil Crust:
Mix flour, oil, and milk until it is the consistency of store-bought pie crust. Take 1/3 of dough and put aside for crust. Roll out remainder until the size of the pie plate, about ¼ inch thin. Place in ungreased plate (we used bread tin). . . . Later, roll out other crust and cover plate. Puncture to allow steam release, dab with pats of butter, sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon.
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup butter, unsalted and chilled, cut into pieces
In a food processor, pulse flour with salt and sugar. Add butter. Pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, with a few pea-size pieces remaining. Add water; pulse until dough is crumbly but holds together when squeezed (if needed, add up to 4 tablespoons more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time). Do not overmix. turn out onto a work surface; knead once or twice, until dough comes together. Chill dough shaped in discs in plastic wrap, at least 1 hour or up to 3 days.
All-Butter Pie Pastry (double-crust), in a food processor
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup cold unsalted butter cut into 1/4" pieces
about 1/2 cup cold water
Put flour, sugar, and salt in the food processor. Pulse several times to mix. Scatter the butter over the dry ingredients and pulse 7-8 times to cut the butter in well. Remove the lid and fluff the mixture with a fork, lifting it up from the bottom of the bowl. Drizzle half of the water over the dry ingredients. Pulse 5-6 times, until the mixture is crumbly. Fluff the pastry and sprinkle on the remaining water. Pulse 5-6 more times, until the pastry starts to form clumps. Overall it will look like coarse crumbs. Dump the contents of the processor into a large bowl.
Text the dough by squeezing some of it between your fingers; if it seems a little dry and not quite packable, drizzle a teaspoon or so of cold water over the dough and work it in with your fingertips. Using your hands, pack the dough into 2 balls as you would pack a snowball. Make one ball slighlty larger than the other; this will be your bottom crust. Knead each ball once or twice, then flatten the balls into 3/4" thick disks on a floured work surface. Wrap the disks in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour or overnight before rolling (if more than one hour, let warm 5-10 minutes before rolling).
Ken Haedrich, Pie
TRIED and TRUE
SAVORY
Adapted from Mme M's Quiche
1 pie crust (or half of my pie crust recipe, below)
4-5 eggs
1/3 cup sour cream
8 oz. Colby or cheddar cheese, cut into small cubes (do not grate/shred)
2 cups frozen broccoli florets, cooked and drained til less wet
salt, pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 350F. Place pie crust in pie plate, crimping edges.
Mix all ingredients. Pour into prepared pie shell. Bake 35-45 minutes until middle is set and crust is golden.
Serve warm or room temperature.
Mommy Hungry
Cheese and Onion Pie
shortcrust pastry dough made with 3 cups flour and 3/4 cup butter
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large onion, peeled and chopped finely
2 1/2 cups good, strong Cheddar, coarsely grated
1/4 lb potatoes, peeled, steamed, and diced
2 large eggs
4 tablespoons heavy cream
a bunch of parsley, chopped
cayenne pepper
salt and pepper
beaten egg for glaze
Preheat oven to 425F Divide the dough into two balls, keeping one a little larger than the other. Melt the butter in a pan and gently fry the onion until softened and translucent, then let cool. Throw the onions into a bowl with the grated cheese, potato, eggs, cream, parsley, and the seasoning, and mix everything together with your fingers.
Roll out the larger ball of pasty and line a shallow greased 9" tart pan. Tip the cheese and onion mixture into the pie crust. Moisten the edges of the crust and cover with the rolled out top piece, crimping the edges together carefully. Brush beaten egg over the top and bake in the oven for 30 minutes until crisp and golden brown. You can sweat leeks instead of onions, or add buttered apple slices instead of potato.
Tamasin Day-Lewis, Tarts with Tops On, or How to Make the Perfect Pie
Kale and Polenta Pie
1/2 lb kale, washed, destemmed, and chopped finely
salt
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup instant polenta
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 400.
Bring 3 1/2 cups water to a boil in a large pot. Add kale, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1 tablespoon of the oil to the water. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until kale is tender, about 6 minutes.
Reduce heat to low. Slowly stir in polenta with a wooden spoon until smooth, about 1 minutes. Partially cover and cook until the polenta is thick, about 6 minutes.
Remove pot from heat and stir in cheese. Taste and adjust seasonings, adding more salt if necessary. Grease a 9" round cake pan with remaining 2 teaspoons oil. Scrape polenta-kale mixture into cake pan.
Bake until polenta pie is firm and golden brown, about 20 minutes. Let pie cool until barely warm, at least 30 minutes and up to several hours (it will firm as it cools). Cut into wedges and serve.
Jack Bishop, Vegetables Every Day
Wild Mushroom and Lentil Shepherd's Pie
Topping:
1 1/2 lbs cubed peeled Yukon gold potato
1 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
2/3 cup low-fat buttermilk
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
dash of ground red pepper
Filling
1 cup dried petite green lentils
4 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 bay leaf
2 1/2 cups organic vegetable broth, divided
3 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 cups finely chopped onion
1 cup finely chopped carrot
1/2 cup thinly sliced celery
4-4 oz packages presliced exotic mushroom blend (such as shiitake, cremini, and oyster)
2 tablespoons dry sherry
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1 tablespoon white truffle oil (right. it works without it)
chopped chives, optional
To prepare topping, lace potato and 1 teaspoon salt in a medium saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil. Cook 20 minutes or until very tender; drain. Return potato to pan. Add buttermilk, 1/2 teaspoons salt, black pepper, nutmeg, and red pepper to potato. Mash with a potato masher until smooth. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 375F.
To prepare filling, combine lentils, water, 1/2 teaspoons salt, and bay leaf in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for 25 minutes or until lentils are tender. Drain and set aside.
Combine 1/2 cup vegetable broth and flour in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk until well blended. Set flour mixture aside.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, celery, and mushrooms; cook for 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in remaining 2 cups broth. Add sherry, soy sauce, tomato paste, thyme, and lentils to mushroom mixture. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Stir in flour mixture, and cook until mixture thickens (about 2 minutes), stirring constantly with a whisk.
Spoon lentil mixture into a 2 quart casserole; top with potato mxiture, spreading evenly. Bake at 375F for 25 minutes or until potatoes are golden. Drizzle truffle oil over potatoes. Garnish with chives.
Cooking Light (235 for 1/8th casserole)
New Sweet and Savory Pot Pie
2 refrigerated pie crusts, at room temperature
approximately 1 - 1 1/2 cups of leftover glazed carrots (I didn't even bother to cut them up)
3/4 cup frozen mixed vegetables
2 cups cooked chicken thigh meat seasoned with soy sauce and Maggi (approx.)
1/2 cup flour
4 tablespoons butter
4 cups stock (I used vegetable)
salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 350F.
Melt butter in a large saucepan. Then add flour. Cook until brown (i.e. brown but not burnt--if it burns, toss it out and start roux again. You can't get rid of that bitter burnt roux taste). Allow to boil so "gravy" will thicken. Add vegetables and cooked chicken to heat through. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Spray inside of 9" pie plate with cooking spray. Roll out and lay down bottom pie crust. Fill with vegetables, chicken, and "gravy." Top with remaining pie crust. Vent. Put pie plate on cookie sheet to prevent spillover. Bake for approximately 1 hour or until crust is brown and filling is bubbly.
Mommy Hungry, via Miss L and Martha Stewart's Everyday Living and Cousin S
My Pot Pie
2 refrigerated pie crusts, at room temperature
appx. 3 potatoes, diced
appx. 4 carrots, diced
appx. 4 stalks of celery, diced
1 can corn kernels
1 cup green peas, frozen
4 tablespoons flour
3 tablespoons oil
4-5cups stock (I used vegetable)
salt and pepper
Boil potatoes in salted water for 10-15 minutes, until just tender. Meanwhile, boil carrots, celery, and corn in vegetable stock. When potatoes are just tender, add them to carrots, etc. Also add frozen peas (no need to defrost or cook ahead of time because they'll just get mushy. I only heat the corn ahead of time to drop the canned flavor and sweeten the broth). Simmer.
Preheat oven to 350F.
Then make a roux with flour and oil. When roux is done (i.e. brown but not burnt--if it burns, toss it out and start roux again. You can't get rid of that bitter burnt roux taste), add approximately 4-5 cups stock from vegetable pot. Allow to boil; the "gravy" will be thick. Drain the vegetables and then add them to "gravy." Salt and pepper to taste.
Spray inside of 9" pie plate with cooking spray. Roll out and lay down bottom pie crust. Fill with vegetables and "gravy." Top with remaining pie crust. Vent. Put pie plate on cookie sheet to prevent spillover. Bake for approximately 1 hour or until crust is brown and filling is bubbly.
Notes: You can, of course, add chicken or other vegetables. Miss L sprinkles her crust with nutmeg, which is good but makes me hunger for a fruit pie instead. And I imagine you could add cheese to that vegetable "gravy" for added flavor. Or you could add herbs, but since the kiddos don't like flecks of things in their food, I didn't add any. Next time I'll add some minced garlic to the vegetables. Mama suggests a splash of Worchestershire sauce. Miss L also purees some of her vegetables to thicken her "gravy." She uses the bag of frozen vegetables (squash, zucchini, carrots, cauliflower, broccoli) from the warehouse store as the mainstay of her pot pie.
J
SWEET
Frozen pie dough (or see my recipe for two crusts here)
6 tablespoons butter
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup sliced almonds or 1/2 cup currants
Preheat the oven to 350F. Fit the pie dough into a 9 inch pie pan. Crimp the edges to seal the pasty onto the pan. Melt the butter and set it aside to cool.
Combine the eggs, sugar, flour, the melted and cooled butter, vanilla extract, and salt in a large bowl and beat the ingredients with a whisk or electric mixer set at a moderate speed 2-3 minutes or until the mixture is smooth and uniform. Add the buttermilk and stir the ingredients thoroughly to blend it in well. Pour the filling into the pie crust. Sprinkle the nuts or currants on top. Bake 45 minutes or until the surface is golden brown and the center is set.
AMNY
Toll House Pie
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup white sugar
½ cup flour
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup chopped pecans
2 beaten eggs
2 sticks hot melted butter
1 tablespoon vanilla
Mix all ingredients together. Pour into unbaked pie shell. Bake 45 minutes at 350°F. Top with Cool Whip when serving.
Apple Butter Pumpkin Pie
1 cup apple butter
1 cup fresh or canned pumpkin
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
3 eggs, slightly beaten
3/4 cup evaporated milk
1 unbaked 9-inch pie shell
Sweetened whipped cream, for garnish
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Combine apple butter, pumpkin, sugar, salt and spices in a bowl. Stir in eggs. Gradually add milk and mix well. Pour into pie shell. Bake for about 40 minutes or until set.
Paula Deen
Pecan Pie
3 eggs, slightly beaten
1 cup sugar
1 cup Karo syrup (light or dark; I usually have light)
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 ¼ cup whole pecans
1-9 inch unbaked or frozen pie crust
Preheat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, stir the first five ingredients until well blended. Stir in pecans. Pour into pie crust. Bake 50-55 minutes or until knife inserted halfway between crust and center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack.
Karo syrup bottle
Patricia’s Apple Pie
Now this is my signature apple pie, made for all holidays. And as my paternal grandmother always used to say, “Apple pie without cheese is like a hug without a squeeze!” Mama Hungry didn’t believe until she tried it; now she won't eat pie without it.
¾ cup brown sugar
½ teaspoon nutmeg
6 sliced, peeled apples
¼ cup flour
½ teaspoon cinnamon
pie crust and crumb topping
Peel and slice apples, soaking in water and lemon juice to prevent browning. Heat oven to 425°F. Mix sugar, flour, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Stir in apples. Cover with crumb topping. Cover edge of pie with aluminum foil, shiny side out. Bake 40-50 minutes, removing foil for last 10 minutes.
Crumb Topping
1 cup flour
½ cup firm margarine
½ cup packed, crumbly brown sugar
Mix with fork and sprinkle on top of pie.
my college roommate
Miss B's Swedish Apple Pie
3-5 apples, peeled and sliced (any kind or a mix)
1 cup plus 1 teaspoon sugar, divided
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 cup butter, melted (1/2 cup works, too)
1 cup flour (AP or whole wheat; haven't tried with GF but think it could work)
1 egg
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional; we've also added Craisins or raisins)
Fill a greased 9' pie plate 2/3 full of apple slices. Sprinkle with 1 tsp sugar and 1 tsp. cinnamon.
Combine remaining ingredients into batter and pour over apples.
Bake at 350F for 45 minutes.
N.B. We have also added 1/2 cup or more of oats to the batter, to make it more like a crisp; use the full amount of butter in that case.
Miss B from playgroup
Mincemeat Pie
pastry for 2-crust pie (we used store bought)
1-27 oz jar None Such ready to use mincemeat
1 egg yolk, optional
2 tablespoons water, optional
Place rack in lowest position in oven; preheat oven to 425°F. Prepare pastry. Turn mincemeat into pastry-line 9” pie plate. Cover with to crust; cut slits near center. Seal and flute. For a more golden crust, mix egg yolk and water; brush over entire surface of pie. Bake 30 minutes or until golden. Serve warm or cool; garnish as desired.
None Such mincemeat jar recipe
My Own New Fresh Strawberry Pie
1 1/4 cups graham crackers, crushed
1/3 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup sugar
1-1/2 quarts fresh strawberries
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons lemon juice
16 oz sour cream
Make graham cracker crust but combining melted butter and sugar, then stir into crushed graham cracker crumbs until they stay together when pressed. Press into lightly greased pie plate, bake at 375 for 4-5 minutes. Cool. (BH&G recipe)
Cap strawberries; reserve half of the best ones. Mash the other half and add sugar and cornstarch which have been mixed together. Cook 5 or 6 minutes until clear and thick. Stir in lemon juice. Cool. (This takes longer than you expect and is the hardest part).
- Add whole strawberries to the cooled mixture, save some for garnish. Pour into baked pie shell. Top with sour cream and garnish with fresh whole strawberries, if desired.
Fresh Strawberry Pie
1-1/2 quarts fresh strawberries
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 nine-inch baked pastry shell
- Cap strawberries; reserve half of the best ones. Mash the other half and add sugar and cornstarch which have been mixed together. Cook 5 or 6 minutes until clear and thick. Stir in lemon juice. Cool.
- Add whole strawberries to the cooled mixture, save some for garnish. Pour into baked pie shell. Top with whipped cream and garnish with fresh whole strawberries (though, we like it even better with a dollop of sour cream!)
strawberry pamphlet
Double Good Blueberry Pie
From the reusable farm basket . . . and it was good (and much like the strawberry pie we made last month). As usual, Sis liked the crust and Bud prefers his berries "plain."
3/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup water
4 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen
1 tablespoon lemon juice
baked, 9-inch pie shell
-Mix sugar and cornstarch in saucepan, add water, and 2 cups berries. Cook over medium heat, stirring until mixture is thick, clear, and boiling. Remove from heat, stir in lemon juice, cool. -Place remaining 2 cups of raw blueberries in pie shell. Top with cooked blueberry mixture. -Chill. Serve with 1/2 sweetened yogurt - 1/2 sweetened sour cream sauce, if desired.
Fruit Pie (adapted from Aunt T's Dewberry Cobbler recipe)
Crust*:
2 frozen pie crusts
Filling:
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup flour, to thicken
2-10 oz. bags frozen mixed berries
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Remove both crusts from plastic bag. Place one on a cookie sheet. Cut the edge off the other so as to leave a circle of dough.
Mix sugar and flour together and then toss into frozen berries, mixing well (there is no need to defrost; the flour absorbs the extra liquid). Crush berries to extract juice.
Fill the pie crust with the berries. Remove the second pie crust (sans edge) and place it on top of the filled crust; it will overlap the edge of the filled crust. Pinch edges together and the impress with fork. Puncture the center to allow steam release, dab with pats of butter, sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon.
Cover edges with foil and bake 1-1 ½ hours, with cookie sheet below to catch spills, or until bubbling.
Blueberry Pie
2 pie crusts
2-10 oz bags of frozen blueberries (approximately 4 cups)
1/3 cup flour
3/4 cup sugar
cinnamon, nutmeg
1-2 tablespoons butter, cut into piece
Preheat oven to 350F. Place crust in pie plate. Place blueberries (still frozen) in bowl with flour and sugar. Mix together and slightly mash. Spoon blueberry mixture into shell. Cover with other crust, piercing to vent. Sprinkle cinnamon, nutmeg, and sugar over crust and dot with butter. Bake at 350 for approximately 1+ hours, until golden brown crust and bubbly, covering rim of pie until last 15 minutes.
Mommy Hungry!
Chocolate Chess Pie
1 ½ cups sugar
2 tablespoons baking cocoa
2 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup evaporated milk
1 unbaked 9” pie shell
Melt the margarine in a small saucepan. Stir in the sugar and cocoa. Remove from heat. Stir in eggs; do not beat. Stir in the vanilla and evaporated milk. Pour into unbaked pie shell; cover edges with foil until last 5 minutes. Bake at 400°F for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until set. Let stand until cool. Chill, covered, until serving time.
Meet Me at the Loveless cookbook
Crème de Menthe or Grasshopper Pie
Just a note—Crème de Menthe gets much stronger with age!
2 cups whipping cream
7 oz. marshmallow cream
¼ cup crème de menthe (or to taste)
Whip cream and then add crème de menthe. Then add marshmallow cream.
Pour into crust. Freeze. Remove from freezer 20 minutes before serving.
Crust
1 stick melted oleo
24 chocolate cookies (1 ½ cups crumbs)
Combine and form to pie plate, chilling for 1 hour before filling.
Gommie Hungry
TO TRY
Italian Ricotta Pie
Original recipe makes 2 deep-dish pies
Pie Filling:
12 eggs
2 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 pounds ricotta cheese
1/4 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips, or to taste(optional)
Sweet Crust:
4 cups all-purpose flour
5 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup shortening, chilled
1 tablespoon shortening, chilled
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon milk (optional)
Directions
Beat the 12 eggs, 2 cups sugar and vanilla extract together in a large bowl. Stir in the ricotta cheese and the chocolate chips, if using (see Cook's Note). Set aside.
Combine the flour, baking powder, and 1 cup sugar together. Cut in 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon shortening until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Mix in 4 beaten eggs and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Divide dough into 4 balls, wrap in plastic, and chill for at least 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease two deep-dish pie plates.
Roll out 2 of the balls to fit into the pie pans. Do not make the crust too thick, as it will expand during cooking. Do not flute the edges of the dough. Roll out the other 2 balls of dough and cut each into 8 narrow strips for the top of the crust. (Alternately, you can use cookie cutters and place the cutouts on the top of the pies.)
Pour the ricotta filling evenly into the pie crusts. Top each pie with 8 narrow strips of dough or cookie cut-outs. Brush top of pie with milk for shine, if desired. Place foil on the edge of crust.
Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 30 minutes; remove foil. Rotate pies on the rack so they will bake evenly. Continue to bake until a knife inserted in the center of each pie comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes more. Cool completely on wire racks. Refrigerate until serving.
Eagle Brand Coconut Flan Pie
Single Crust Classic Crisco Pie Crust
3/4 cup lite coconut milk
1 (14 oz.) can Eagle Brand® Sweetened Condensed Milk
3 large eggs
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup flaked coconut
Instructions
HEAT oven to 400°F. Prepare recipe for single crust pie. Roll out and place in 9-inch pie plate. Press to fit without stretching dough. Flute edges. Thoroughly prick bottom and sides with fork to prevent shrinking. Bake 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F.
COMBINE coconut milk, sweetened condensed milk, eggs, water and vanilla in blender container. Process 1 minute or until blended. Add coconut. Process for 30 seconds. Pour into partially baked pie crust.
BAKE 50 to 55 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 30 minutes. Chill 2 hours.
A deep-dish 9-inch frozen crust can be substituted in this recipe. Allow to thaw at room temperature 10 minutes. Follow directions above to prick with a fork and bake before adding filling.
IMPOSSIBLE PIE
4eggs
1⁄2cup margarine
1⁄2cup flour
2cups milk
1cup sugar
1cup coconut
2teaspoons vanilla
DIRECTIONS
Blend all ingredients in a blender for a few seconds, until well mixed.
Pour mixture into a 10” greased pie plate.
Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 1 hour or until centre tests firm.
Then flour will settle to form crust, the coconut forms the topping, the centre is an egg custard filling.
Black-Bottom Oatmeal Pie
From Smitten Kitchen
Adapted, just a tiny bit, from Four and Twenty Blackbirds
Crust:
1 1/4 cups (155 grams) all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons (6 grams) granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon (3 grams) fine sea or table salt
1 stick (4 ounces or 115 grams) cold unsalted butter, cut into chunks
1/4 cup (60 ml) very cold water, plus an additional tablespoon if needed
Filling
1 1/2 cups (120 grams) rolled oats
1/4 cup (60 ml) heavy cream
4 ounces (115 grams) bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
3/4 cup (145 grams) packed light brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
5 tablespoons (70 grams) unsalted butter, melted
1 cup dark corn syrup (see Note below for replacements)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons cider vinegar
4 large eggs
Make the pie dough:
By hand, with my one-bowl method: In the bottom of a large bowl, combine the flour, salt and sugar. Work the butter into the flour with your fingertips or a pastry blender until mixture resembles a coarse meal and the largest bits of butter are the size of tiny peas. (Some people like to do this by freezing the stick of butter and coarsely grating it into the flour, but I haven’t found the results as flaky.) Add 1/4 cup cold water and stir with a spoon or flexible silicone spatula until large clumps form. Use your hands to knead the dough together, right in the bottom of the bowl. If necessary to bring the dough together, you can add the last tablespoon of water.
With a food processor: In the work bowl of a food processor, combine flour, salt and sugar. Add butter and pulse machine until mixture resembles a coarse meal and the largest bits of butter are the size of tiny peas. Turn mixture out into mixing bowl. Add 1/4 cup cold water and stir with a spoon or flexible silicone spatula until large clumps form. Use your hands to knead the dough together, right in the bottom of the bowl. If necessary to bring the dough together, you can add the last tablespoon of water.
Both methods: Wrap dough in a sheet of plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour, or up to 48 hours, or you can quick-firm this in the freezer for 15 minutes. Longer than 2 days, it’s best to freeze it until needed.
Form the crust: On a floured counter, roll the dough out into a 12 to 13-inch circle-ish shape. Fold dough gently in quarters without creasing and transfer to a 9-inch standard (not deep-dish) pie plate. Unfold dough and trim overhang to about 1/2-inch. Fold overhang under edge of pie crust and crimp decoratively. If not parbaking, place in fridge until ready to fill. If parbaking, place in freezer for 20 minutes, until solid.
Par-bake the crust: [Optional, but will lead to a crispier base.] Heat oven 400°F (205°C). Line frozen crust with lightly buttered or oiled foil. Fill with pie weights, dried beans or pennies. Bake on a rimmed baking sheet for 20 minutes. Carefully remove foil and weights and let cool completely before filling.]
Heat oven: (Or reduce oven heat, if you just par-baked your crust) to 350°F (175°C).
Prepare filling: Spread oats on a rimmed baking sheet and toast in the oven for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Set aside to cool. Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F (165°C).
To make the black bottom, bring the cream just to a boil over medium heat in a small saucepan. Pour in chocolate pieces and whisk until melted and smooth. Scrape the chocolate into the bottom of the cooled pie shell and spread evenly. Place in freezer while making the filling.
To make the oatmeal layer, in a large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, ginger, salt, and melted butter. Add the corn syrup, vanilla, and cider vinegar and whisk to combine. Add the eggs one at a time, whisking well after each addition. Stir in the cooled oats. Place chocolate-coated pie shell on a rimmed baking sheet and pour filling over.
Bake: For about 55 minutes, rotating 180 degrees for even color if needed halfway through. The pie is done with the edges are set and puffed slightly and the center is slightly firm to the touch but still has a little give — like gelatin. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack, 2 to 3 hours. Sever slightly warm or at room temperature.
Do ahead: The pie will keep refrigerated for 3 days or at room temperature for 2 days.
Crack Pie
From Averie Cooks
YIELD: two 10-inch pies
PREP TIME: about 2 hours
COOK TIME: about 25 minutes for the pie
TOTAL TIME: about 5 hours, to allow for cooling
INGREDIENTS:
Pie
1/4 c. unsalted butter, melted
1 recipe Oat Cookie (recipe follows)
1 tbsp. light brown sugar, packed
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1 recipe Crack Pie Filling (recipe follows)
confectioners’ sugar for dusting
Oat Cookie
1/2 c. unsalted butter, softened
1/3 c. light brown sugar, packed
3 tbsp. white sugar, granulated
1 large egg yolk
1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 c. old-fashioned rolled oats
1/8 tsp. baking powder
pinch baking soda
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
Crack Pie Filling
1 c. unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 c. white sugar, granulated
3/4 c. light brown sugar, packed
1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 c. corn powder (corn powder is defined as freeze-dried corn, ground to a fine powder)
1/4 c. milk powder
3/4 c. heavy cream
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
8 large egg yolks
DIRECTIONS:
To prepare the Oat Cookie crust, preheat the oven to 350°. In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars on medium-high for 2 to 3 minutes until fluffy and pale yellow in color. Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl with a spatula. On a lower speed, add the egg to incorporate. Increase the speed back up to a medium-high for 1 to 2 minutes until the sugar granules fully dissolve and the mixture is a pale white color. On a lower speed, add the flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix 60-75 seconds until your dough comes together and all remnants of dry ingredients have incorporated. Your dough will still be a slightly fluffy, fatty mixture in comparison to your average cookie dough. Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl with a spatula.
Pam spray and line a quarter sheet pan with parchment or a Silpat. Plop the oat cookie dough in the center of the pan and with a spatula, spread it out until it is 1/4″ thick. The dough won’t end up covering the entire pan, this is okay. Bake the oat cookie for 15 minutes. Cool completely before using in the crack pie recipe.
To prepare the pie filling, mix the dry ingredients for the filling using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment on low speed. Be sure to keep your mixer on low speed during the entire process of preparing the filling; if you try to mix on any higher than a low speed, you will incorporate too much air in the following steps and your pie will not be dense and gooey – the essence of the crack pie. Add the melted butter to the mixer and paddle until all the dry ingredients are moist. Add the heavy cream and vanilla and mix until the white from the cream has completely disappeared into the mixture. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula. Add the egg yolks to the mixer, paddling them in to the mixture just to combine. Be careful not to aerate the mixture. Use the filling immediately.
To assemble the pies, preheat the oven to 350°. Put the oat cookie, brown sugar and salt in the food processor and pulse it on and off until the cookie is broken down into a wet sand. (If you don’t have a food processor, you can fake it till you make it and crumble the oat cookie diligently with your hands.) Transfer the cookie crumbs to a bowl and, with your hands, knead the butter and ground cookie mixture until the contents of the bowl are moist enough to knead into a ball. If it is not moist enough to do so, gently melt an additional 1-1 1/2 tablespoons of butter and knead it into the oat crust mixture. Divide the oat crust evenly over 2- 10″ pie tins.
Using your fingers and the palm of your hand, press the oat cookie crust firmly into both 10-inch pie shells. Make sure the bottom and the walls of the pie shells are evenly covered. Use the pie shells immediately or, wrapped well in plastic, store the pie shells at room temperature for up to 5 days or in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Place both pie shells on a sheet pan. Divide the crack pie filling evenly over both crusts (the filling should fill the crusts 3/4 way full) and bake at 350° for 15 minutes. During this time, the crack pie will still be very jiggly, but should become golden brown on top. At 15 minutes, open the oven door and reduce the baking temperature to 325°. Depending on your oven this will take 5-10 minutes – keep the pies in the oven during this process. When the oven temperature reads 325°, close the door and finish baking the pies for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, the pies should still be jiggly in the bull’s eye centers, but not in the outer center circle. If the pies are still too jiggly, leave them in the oven an additional 5 minutes.
Gently remove the baked pies from the oven and transfer to a rack to cool at room temperature. You can speed up the cooling process by transferring the pies to the fridge or freezer if you’re in a hurry. Freeze your pie for as little as 3 hours or up to overnight to condense the filling for a dense final product – the signature of a perfectly executed Crack Pie. Just before serving finish with a dusting of confectioners’ sugar.
Adapted from Momofuku Milk Bar
.jpg)
.jpg)
