Post by Deleted on Mar 8, 2015 17:01:52 GMT -5
Celebrate Pi Day with a Pie Pi= 3.14159265359
This Saturday, people around the world will witness something that occurs only once a century. No, not a comet, eclipse or anything of that nature, but still science related: On March 14, at 9:26 a.m. (and 53 seconds), the date and time will reflect the first 10 digits of Pi. In simple terms, Pi is the ratio used to find the circumference of a circle. So what does this irrational number have to do with food?
While different schools, colleges and nerds in general will celebrate Pi Day, as March 14 is known, by studying and discussing the importance of the number, there will also be plenty of pie-eating contests because the English pronunciation of Pi is oh-sosimilar to those tasty desserts.
From a cook’s point of view, what better time to hit the kitchen?
There are many different types of pie, from savory to sweet, from rustic to gourmet. Hand pies, galettes, tarte tatins, double-crusted pies, Cornish pasties, pot pies, the French-Canadian tourtire, quiche and even pizzas fall under the category of pie. Regional and seasonal ingredients will vary, but essentially some sort of pastry crust and filling/topping are involved.
Many home cooks are intimidated by the prospect of making their own pies, especially pie crusts, from scratch. However, making pie crust is actually surprisingly simple. Just keep the ingredients chilled, don’t overwork the dough, and you’ll have a great tender and flaky crust.
After that, the sky’s the limit.
An interesting option, especially around the holidays or when guests are expected, is to make individual pies instead of one whole pie. They will cook more quickly and you don’t have to wait until it cools and sets to slice. Also, they’re cute. Silicone muffin cups are great for individual pies because they are nonstick, perfectly portioned, dishwasher safe and can be used over and over.
Savory pies, such as meat-andpotato filled Cornish pasties, can be made with leftovers, and pot pies are perfect when filled with vegetables, a homemade gravy and shredded chicken (a rotisserie chicken is perfectly acceptable). Sweet pies often contain fruit, either fresh or frozen, and are beautiful topped with a homemade lattice crust.
For a more rustic approach, try a galette. Place a circle of pie dough or pastry on a work surface and mound with your desired filling, such as pears and peaches, or a combo of savory ingredients such as tomatoes, asparagus and Gruyere cheese. Leave a few inches of crust around the edges, then tuck the crust on top of the fillings, leaving the center exposed. Bake, rest and cut into wedges.
Makes 1 (9-inch) pie crust or 12 muffin-sized pie crusts Ingredients
■ 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold
■ 2 tablespoons vegetable shortening, cold
■ 1cups all-purpose flour
■ 1 teaspoon kosher salt
■ cup whole milk Directions Stir together the butter, shortening, flour and salt in a mixing bowl. Using a pastry cutter, cut the butter and shortening into the flour until most of the fat is the size of lima beans.
Working in sections around the bowl, add milk one splash at a time to the flour and stir. Continue adding the milk until the dough retains the shape of your hand when squeezed. Do not add too much liquid.
On a floured surface, divide the dough into thirds and fold the dough onto itself; repeat 3-4 times. Wrap the crust in plastic wrap and flatten into a rectangle.
Chill dough for at least 10-15 minutes or until ready to use.
Chicken Pot Pie
Ingredients
■ 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
■ Olive oil, about 1-2 tablespoons
■ 1 onion, peeled and diced
■ 3 garlic cloves, pressed or peeled and minced
■ teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
■ Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
■ 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
■ 4-5 cups chicken stock
■ 3 carrots, peeled and cut intoinch coins
■ 2 celery stalks, diced
■ 2 Yukon gold or red potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1 inch pieces
■ 3 cups cooked and shredded chicken (such as a rotisserie chicken)
■ 1 pie crust dough (recipe above)
■ cup, plus 2 tablespoons, heavy cream, divided
■ 1 egg yolk
■ Lemon juice (optional) Directions Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat an ovensafe Dutch oven or wide pot over medium heat. When hot, add butter and enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan.
Add the onion, garlic and Italian seasoning to pan with a generous pinch each of kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cook until the onion is translucent, about 4-5 minutes. When the onion has softened and turned translucent, sprinkle with flour. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the flour smells nutty, about 5 minutes.
Add aboutcup of chicken stock and stir well to combine, working out any lumps. Add a few more-cup additions, stirring and cooking in between each addition. Add the remaining chicken stock. Bring to a simmer.
Add carrots, celery and potatoes. Cover and cook until the vegetables are tender. Fold in shredded chicken.
Meanwhile, roll out the pie crust dough to about 3 inches wider in diameter than the Dutch oven, pan or baking dish. In a small bowl, mix together 2 tablespoons heavy cream with egg yolk. Set aside.
When the potatoes and carrots are tender, stir in the remainingcup heavy cream. Taste and season with kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper,and lemon juice.
Top the pot with the dough, slightly tucking under the edges to create a lip. Cut a few slits in the top of the crust and brush with the egg yolk and cream. Transfer to the oven and bake until the pie crust is golden brown, about 20-25 minutes. Remove from the oven and let stand 5-10 minutes before serving.
Strawberry Freezer Pie
Makes 2 (9-inch) pies Ingredients
■ 3 cups graham cracker crumbs
■ cup granulated sugar
■ cup unsalted butter, melted
■ 3 ounces cream cheese, softened
■ 1 can sweetened condensed milk
■ 1 pint strawberries, rinsed, hulled and mashed
■ 3 tablespoons lemon juice
■ 2 cups whipped cream, or 1 cup cream, whipped Directions Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cut 2 circles of parchment just the size of the bottom of a pie pan, and line 2 pans. (Fold a square in half, then in quarters, etc., like you’re making a snowflake. Place the tip of the paper in the center of the pan, and mark the distance from the center to the edge. Cut and unfold.) Combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter. Divide the mixture between the 2 pans and begin pressing down and out, bringing them evenly up the sides. Bake the crusts until golden brown and set, about 8-10 minutes. Cool. (Or skip this step by buying 2 pre-made graham crusts.) In the bowl of a stand mixer, or using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add sweetened condensed milk; beat some more.
Stir in strawberries and lemon juice, and fold in whipped cream. Pour into the crusts and freeze until firm.
Makes 6 Ingredients
■ 12 ounces dried peaches
■ cup brandy or amaretto
■ 3 tablespoons almond paste
■ 3 tablespoons cornstarch
■ 1 lemon, zested and juiced
■ teaspoon ground cinnamon
■ teaspoon kosher salt
■ cup brown sugar
■ 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed but chilled
■ 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into pieces
■ 1 cup peach or apricot preserves
■ cup slivered or sliced almonds Directions Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Line 2-3 baking sheets with a silicone liner or parchment paper.
In a small bowl, cover the dried peaches with brandy or amaretto. Microwave for 30 seconds and set aside for 10 minutes. Once the peaches have plumped, remove them from any excess liquid, reserving liquid.
In a large mixing bowl, stir together peaches, cornstarch, zest, juice, cinnamon, salt and sugar.
Divide the puff pastry into 6 pieces and roll them into roughly 5-inch circles. Transfer one circle to the prepared baking sheet.
Use your fingers to pat the almond paste into a flat disk. Place 2 teaspoons of almond paste in the center of the dough circle. Spoon a little of the peach mixture onto center of dough, leaving a 1-inch border around edge.
Fold the edge of dough over 1 inch of the peach mixture, pleating the dough.
Dot filling with butter pieces.
In a small bowl, microwave the peach jam and reserved soaking liquid in 15 second increments until melted. Brush the edges of the crust with the jam, and sprinkle with almonds.
Repeat with remaining pies.
Bake until filling is bubbling and pastry is golden, about 20 minutes.
Season Stepp is a correspondent for The Spartanburg (S.C.) Herald-Journal
Utica Od e edition
This Saturday, people around the world will witness something that occurs only once a century. No, not a comet, eclipse or anything of that nature, but still science related: On March 14, at 9:26 a.m. (and 53 seconds), the date and time will reflect the first 10 digits of Pi. In simple terms, Pi is the ratio used to find the circumference of a circle. So what does this irrational number have to do with food?
While different schools, colleges and nerds in general will celebrate Pi Day, as March 14 is known, by studying and discussing the importance of the number, there will also be plenty of pie-eating contests because the English pronunciation of Pi is oh-sosimilar to those tasty desserts.
From a cook’s point of view, what better time to hit the kitchen?
There are many different types of pie, from savory to sweet, from rustic to gourmet. Hand pies, galettes, tarte tatins, double-crusted pies, Cornish pasties, pot pies, the French-Canadian tourtire, quiche and even pizzas fall under the category of pie. Regional and seasonal ingredients will vary, but essentially some sort of pastry crust and filling/topping are involved.
Many home cooks are intimidated by the prospect of making their own pies, especially pie crusts, from scratch. However, making pie crust is actually surprisingly simple. Just keep the ingredients chilled, don’t overwork the dough, and you’ll have a great tender and flaky crust.
After that, the sky’s the limit.
An interesting option, especially around the holidays or when guests are expected, is to make individual pies instead of one whole pie. They will cook more quickly and you don’t have to wait until it cools and sets to slice. Also, they’re cute. Silicone muffin cups are great for individual pies because they are nonstick, perfectly portioned, dishwasher safe and can be used over and over.
Savory pies, such as meat-andpotato filled Cornish pasties, can be made with leftovers, and pot pies are perfect when filled with vegetables, a homemade gravy and shredded chicken (a rotisserie chicken is perfectly acceptable). Sweet pies often contain fruit, either fresh or frozen, and are beautiful topped with a homemade lattice crust.
For a more rustic approach, try a galette. Place a circle of pie dough or pastry on a work surface and mound with your desired filling, such as pears and peaches, or a combo of savory ingredients such as tomatoes, asparagus and Gruyere cheese. Leave a few inches of crust around the edges, then tuck the crust on top of the fillings, leaving the center exposed. Bake, rest and cut into wedges.
Makes 1 (9-inch) pie crust or 12 muffin-sized pie crusts Ingredients
■ 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold
■ 2 tablespoons vegetable shortening, cold
■ 1cups all-purpose flour
■ 1 teaspoon kosher salt
■ cup whole milk Directions Stir together the butter, shortening, flour and salt in a mixing bowl. Using a pastry cutter, cut the butter and shortening into the flour until most of the fat is the size of lima beans.
Working in sections around the bowl, add milk one splash at a time to the flour and stir. Continue adding the milk until the dough retains the shape of your hand when squeezed. Do not add too much liquid.
On a floured surface, divide the dough into thirds and fold the dough onto itself; repeat 3-4 times. Wrap the crust in plastic wrap and flatten into a rectangle.
Chill dough for at least 10-15 minutes or until ready to use.
Chicken Pot Pie
Ingredients
■ 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
■ Olive oil, about 1-2 tablespoons
■ 1 onion, peeled and diced
■ 3 garlic cloves, pressed or peeled and minced
■ teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
■ Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
■ 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
■ 4-5 cups chicken stock
■ 3 carrots, peeled and cut intoinch coins
■ 2 celery stalks, diced
■ 2 Yukon gold or red potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1 inch pieces
■ 3 cups cooked and shredded chicken (such as a rotisserie chicken)
■ 1 pie crust dough (recipe above)
■ cup, plus 2 tablespoons, heavy cream, divided
■ 1 egg yolk
■ Lemon juice (optional) Directions Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat an ovensafe Dutch oven or wide pot over medium heat. When hot, add butter and enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan.
Add the onion, garlic and Italian seasoning to pan with a generous pinch each of kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cook until the onion is translucent, about 4-5 minutes. When the onion has softened and turned translucent, sprinkle with flour. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the flour smells nutty, about 5 minutes.
Add aboutcup of chicken stock and stir well to combine, working out any lumps. Add a few more-cup additions, stirring and cooking in between each addition. Add the remaining chicken stock. Bring to a simmer.
Add carrots, celery and potatoes. Cover and cook until the vegetables are tender. Fold in shredded chicken.
Meanwhile, roll out the pie crust dough to about 3 inches wider in diameter than the Dutch oven, pan or baking dish. In a small bowl, mix together 2 tablespoons heavy cream with egg yolk. Set aside.
When the potatoes and carrots are tender, stir in the remainingcup heavy cream. Taste and season with kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper,and lemon juice.
Top the pot with the dough, slightly tucking under the edges to create a lip. Cut a few slits in the top of the crust and brush with the egg yolk and cream. Transfer to the oven and bake until the pie crust is golden brown, about 20-25 minutes. Remove from the oven and let stand 5-10 minutes before serving.
Strawberry Freezer Pie
Makes 2 (9-inch) pies Ingredients
■ 3 cups graham cracker crumbs
■ cup granulated sugar
■ cup unsalted butter, melted
■ 3 ounces cream cheese, softened
■ 1 can sweetened condensed milk
■ 1 pint strawberries, rinsed, hulled and mashed
■ 3 tablespoons lemon juice
■ 2 cups whipped cream, or 1 cup cream, whipped Directions Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cut 2 circles of parchment just the size of the bottom of a pie pan, and line 2 pans. (Fold a square in half, then in quarters, etc., like you’re making a snowflake. Place the tip of the paper in the center of the pan, and mark the distance from the center to the edge. Cut and unfold.) Combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter. Divide the mixture between the 2 pans and begin pressing down and out, bringing them evenly up the sides. Bake the crusts until golden brown and set, about 8-10 minutes. Cool. (Or skip this step by buying 2 pre-made graham crusts.) In the bowl of a stand mixer, or using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add sweetened condensed milk; beat some more.
Stir in strawberries and lemon juice, and fold in whipped cream. Pour into the crusts and freeze until firm.
Makes 6 Ingredients
■ 12 ounces dried peaches
■ cup brandy or amaretto
■ 3 tablespoons almond paste
■ 3 tablespoons cornstarch
■ 1 lemon, zested and juiced
■ teaspoon ground cinnamon
■ teaspoon kosher salt
■ cup brown sugar
■ 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed but chilled
■ 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into pieces
■ 1 cup peach or apricot preserves
■ cup slivered or sliced almonds Directions Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Line 2-3 baking sheets with a silicone liner or parchment paper.
In a small bowl, cover the dried peaches with brandy or amaretto. Microwave for 30 seconds and set aside for 10 minutes. Once the peaches have plumped, remove them from any excess liquid, reserving liquid.
In a large mixing bowl, stir together peaches, cornstarch, zest, juice, cinnamon, salt and sugar.
Divide the puff pastry into 6 pieces and roll them into roughly 5-inch circles. Transfer one circle to the prepared baking sheet.
Use your fingers to pat the almond paste into a flat disk. Place 2 teaspoons of almond paste in the center of the dough circle. Spoon a little of the peach mixture onto center of dough, leaving a 1-inch border around edge.
Fold the edge of dough over 1 inch of the peach mixture, pleating the dough.
Dot filling with butter pieces.
In a small bowl, microwave the peach jam and reserved soaking liquid in 15 second increments until melted. Brush the edges of the crust with the jam, and sprinkle with almonds.
Repeat with remaining pies.
Bake until filling is bubbling and pastry is golden, about 20 minutes.
Season Stepp is a correspondent for The Spartanburg (S.C.) Herald-Journal
Utica Od e edition
