Apple Pie Crust

Jamie's favorite pie is apple, and it's definitely apple pie season. Usually apple pies have a top crust that's either solid or sometimes latticed, but there have been all of these beautiful top crust options floating around the internet lately and I wanted to try something more fun. I rolled out the top crust dough as big as I could and cut out a whole bunch of hearts. 

Strawberry Blueberry Crumble

Yum! This is a delicious and easy summer dessert. We used strawberries and blueberries, but it would be great with any mix of fruit. The crumble topping is delicious and it's so easy because you don't have to make crust - the whole thing takes about an hour start to finish. The baking soda in the crumble is from Smitten Kitchen. It really makes it puff up and get nice and crunchy. Will definitely make this again, maybe in individual ramekins. 

All Butter Pie Crust

Summer is the best time for pies (in my opinion). I've been on a pie kick. Strawberry Rhubarb, Gooseberry, Cherry... Here is a great pie dough recipe from Four and Twenty Blackbirds. I recommend doing it by hand with a pastry blender. The whole thing takes 15 minutes and you can really control the butter size and dough consistency. 

Makes a single-layer pie crust (just double recipe for a double layer for pies like apple and rhubarb)

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cup flour

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1 1/2 tsp sugar

1 stick cold, unsalted butter cut into 1/2" pieces

1 cup ice

1 cup cold water

2-3 tbsp cider vinegar

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

This is my favorite pie (as documented here). We had tons of rhubarb in the garden last weekend and my mom picked up some farm stand strawberries, so of course, we had to make a pie. I used the all butter crust recipe from Four and Twenty Blackbirds, but I realized part way through making the dough that we didn't have enough flour - we were short half a cup. We did have cornmeal. I subbed in cornmeal for the missing flour and it was great! It added this nice texture and extra crisp to the dough. I also subbed balsamic vinegar for the usual lemon juice which was a great, subtle difference. If there are still strawberries near you (I just snagged some this morning at the Union Square market) I suggest making this ASAP, and maybe making three.

Ingredients:

Crust

2 cups flour

1/2 cup yellow cornmeal

3 tsp sugar

2 sticks cold butter, cut into 1/2" pieces

1 cup cold water

New Pie Book

Isn't that the most beautiful pie? It's from my new cookbook, Four and Twenty Blackbirds - thanks Palmer and Austen! This particular pie was salt pork apple pie. It was really tasty, but it's an odd one and I think it would have actually been better sans pork. I can't wait to make another pie from the book, though, because the crust was so, so flaky and buttery and crisp on the outside and soft on the inside, and there are so many great looking recipes and helpful tips.

Tomato, Chard, and Goat Cheese Tart

I was drooling over this recipe on the Times and couldn't wait to try it with my tomatoes. Due to time restraints and some fresh swiss chard I had, I switched it up a little by adding sauteed swiss chard and onion and doing it in a frozen pie crust I had in my freezer. While I'm sure it tastes better with the olive oil pastry, this was pretty delicious. Served it with a salad full of more tomatoes. It was great and light, and I love the combination of savory tarts and salads in the summer.

Ingredients:
1 large bunch swiss chard, chopped, stems and leaves separated
1/2 yellow onion, sliced
olive oil
frozen pie crust

Blueberry and blackberry galette

My pie tin is on loan (from my engagement pie) but I had a pie craving. I figured this was a perfect time for a galette! A galette is basically a rustic, tin-less pie. This was pretty easy. It takes about 10 minutes to assemble (with a store bought crust, I recommend Trader Joe's pie crust) and then cooks for about half an hour. Great to make right before you sit down for dinner, or earlier if you're expecting a long dinner. It's really good - not too sweet, and if you serve with creme fraiche it's really tasty and sophisticated (I think, anyway).

Serves 6
Ingredients:
1 frozen pie crust, thawed but still cold
2 cups blueberries
1 cup blackberries
2 tbsp corn starch
1 tbsp grated lemon zest
juice from 3/4 of a lemon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup (plus 1 tbsp) sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp almond extract
1-2 tbsp semolina flour
1 tbsp butter, cut into cubes
1 tbsp milk

Engagement Pie!

Not for me! Our best friends, Chip and Siobhan, just got engaged too! Such a fun and celebratory time. (Jamie and I have now deemed ourselves Champagne people.) We were SO happy about this engagement and wanted to give them a little treat. They so sweetly sent us a bottle of bubbly when we got engaged, continuing our new Champagne dependence. Both of them have a weakness for strawberry rhubarb pie, and by some stroke of luck, I found rhubarb in February, and some pretty good looking strawberries (both at Essex Street Market). I made the crust (Martha's pate brisee recipe) and personalized it with a big engagement ring and a C and an S on either side. Next time you need a special treat for a special occasion, try personalizing your friend's favorite pie. I think it was a big hit! (Chip ate half of it out of the tin with a spoon before leaving our apartment.)

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

When rhubarb comes into season I immediately crave strawberry rhubarb pie. It's such a great blend of sweet and sour and I'd say it's my favorite pie, hands down. Especially when served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. It's not terribly difficult to make - especially if you buy frozen pie crust. (I recommend the Trader Joe's variety if it's available.) Just putting this up makes me want to make another tonight!

Ingredients:
Pie crust (frozen of homemade)
1 pound fresh rhubarb, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 pound fresh strawberries, cut into halves or quarters
3 tablespoons corn starch
3/4 cups sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
1/4-1/2 tsp freshly grated orange peel
2 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into cubes

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400. Mix rhubarb, strawberries, corn starch, sugar, cinnamon, lemon, and orange peel in a bowl.

 

Pour into pie crust (if it's homemade, first put the pie crust down in a pie in and trim the edges). Cut remaining pie crust into strips and lay across the top of the filling in a lattice.  Dot the pie with the butter and sprinkle sugar on top of the strips. 

Place the pie on a cookie sheet and then into the oven (it tends to drip a bit). After 35 minutes, if the crusts are burning, cover them with tin foil. Let it bake another 10 minutes or until the middle is pretty set. Let cool a little and serve it up with vanilla ice cream!