THE FOLLOWING RECIPES (printed with permission of Lyons Press, an imprint of Globe Pequot Press) are excerpted from “Sweetie-licious Pies: Eat Pie, Love Life” by Linda Hundt, 19-time national pie-baking champion and retro-inspired owner of Sweetie-licious Bakery Café in Dewitt, East Grand Rapids and Grand Rapids Downtown Market. To learn more and uncover additional great tastes, turn to Lake Stories on page 34 in this issue of BLUE and visit sweetie-licious.com.
Flaky Classic Piecrust
The Farmette’s Blueberry Basil Cream Pie1 ¾ cups flour
¼ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
½ cup Crisco butter-flavored shortening, refrigerated, OR
1/3 cup shortening plus 3 tablespoons butter,
ice cold and cut into small chunks
5 ½ tablespoons ice water
Mix all of the above ingredients, except the water, in a stand mixer using the paddle attachment on medium speed swiftly until the crust appears pea-like. Carefully sprinkle the ice-cold water in the crust 1 tablespoon at a time, using approximately 5 ½ tablespoons. Mix with a fork until the dough starts to become moistened and just gathers together. Pat into a disk, wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Roll the crust out on a floured surface and place into a 9-inch pan. Shape and crimp the crust. (Crusts don’t have to roll out perfectly; just crimp over any imperfections!) Freeze.
Lenora’s Tomato Bacon Custard Pie
(Recommended: Flaky Classic Piecrust, Frozen)
CROUTON TOPPING
1 cup croutons, crushed using food processor or rolling pin
1 tablespoon butter, melted
Mix the ingredients together in a small bowl with a fork until crumbly. Set aside.
FILLING
10 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 tablespoon real maple syrup
½ cup chopped green onions
3 tomatoes, ripe and in season, cut into ½-inch slices, and seeded (use your thumb to extract seeds)
1 cup grated white cheddar cheese
1 cup grated Swiss cheese
1 ½ cups half-and-half
2 eggs
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon allspice
2 tablespoons white wine
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Mix the bacon with the maple syrup and sprinkle on the bottom of a frozen pie shell. Sprinkle the green onions over the bacon. Place the tomatoes over the bacon and onions. Sprinkle lightly with Swiss and white cheddar cheeses.
Combine the half-and-half, eggs, garlic salt, pepper, allspice, wine and fresh thyme in a medium bowl until mixed thoroughly. Pour over the bacon-tomato filling, pressing down the filling so the egg mixture covers it completely. Sprinkle with the crouton topping and bake for approximately 45–60 minutes or until the center is set.
The Farmette’s Blueberry Basil Cream Pie
Second Place — Crisco National Pie Championships 2011
(Recommended: Flaky Classic Piecrust, Frozen)
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a frozen piecrust with one layer of aluminum foil and fill with one layer of uncooked pasta (to weight down crust and prevent bubbling). Bake in the oven until the bottom of the crust is light brown, approximately 25 minutes. Carefully lift the foil from the crust; dispose of pasta. Let the crust cool.
FILLING
2½ cups whole milk
3 egg yolks
1 cup sugar
¼ cup cornstarch
Dash of salt
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Mix the milk, egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a medium pan. Cook on medium heat, stirring constantly until thick. Add the butter and vanilla. Pour the filling into the piecrust. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
FRESH BLUEBERRY GLAZE
1½ cups fresh blueberries, mashed
1 cup sugar
¾ cup water
¼ cup cornstarch, sifted
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
¼ teaspoon fresh orange zest
6 large fresh basil leaves, preferably in cheesecloth herb bag
4 cups fresh blueberries
Fresh basil leaves (optional garnish)
Mix the mashed blueberries, sugar, water and cornstarch in a large pan on medium heat. Stir constantly until thick and boiling. Add the basil leaves in a cheesecloth bag or tied together. Carefully stir for 1 minute, then remove from the heat. Remove the basil leaves. Add the lime juice and orange zest. Refrigerate for 3 hours.
In a large bowl, mix the glaze with 4 cups of fresh blueberries. Pour over the pie filling. Garnish with fresh basil leaves. Keep refrigerated. Best eaten on the first day.
Copyright© Linda Hundt. Photos Copyright© Clarissa Westmeyer. Used by arrangement with the publisher. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or printed without permission in writing from the publisher.
Facebook Comments