Pie has its own PAC
Today is January 23. That may sound like a very random day to you. But, it is actually National Pie day. Math Geeks will argue march 14 is Pi day. But, that’s the number, not the confection. January 23 is a recipe: 1-23 are the ratios of a simple pie dough. That’s 1 part water, 2 parts fat, 3 parts flour. How did this become a thing? Well, it stems from one of my heroes. Charlie Papazian earned a degree in Nuclear engineering, but founded the American Brewer’s society. When I began home brewing in the 1980’s, his “the complete joy of home brewing” was my bible. Coincidentally, his birthday is January 23. In the 1970’s he declared his birthday National Pie day. And, it stuck thanks to the American Pie Council, who promote the interest of home and commercial pie bakers. Yes, it’s true: Pie has its own PAC.
And, that’s a refreshing thing to know. With all the money flowing through our politics, knowing that some of it actually represents deliciousness gives us a glimmer of hope. But, is there an evil underbelly of this seemingly innocuous group? I’m sure there is. But, today is less about conspiracies, and more about Pie. Maybe they secretly want to control the world through making people fat and diabetic. Or, maybe they plan to smuggle dirty bombs inside pies to start WWIII. None can be sure. But, keep an eye on your pie. In the meantime, maybe we should just enjoy a culinary marvel that dates back to the days of the Pharaohs in Egypt. Or, will that stir up theories of Ancient Aliens? Pies do look like Flying saucers… HHHHmmmm…
Table of Contents
Are ancient Aliens the reason Pie has its own PAC?
Uh… No! Although, if you take two pie tins and invert them on top of each other, and toss them like a Frisbee…
Still, any time Ancient Egypt or the Pyramids come into a conversation, talk of aliens isn’t far behind. One may wonder such things since pies and evidence of pie making have shown up in Egyptian and ancient Greek archeological expeditions. But, it makes sense. These days we’re used to sandwiches as a portable food. But, Pie was a way to make food you could eat with your hands and ho other utensils. While the standard visual of a pie, these days is a 9 inch confection, cut into 8 pieces (a deliberate mischaracterization by the APC?), Pies actually come in a variety of shapes and sizes, including the hand pie.
And, Americans think pie is a national Symbol. “American as apple Pie”. But, even that pie has roots in Europe. We just adopted it. And. let’s not forget, plenty of other countries have pies to be proud of. Most Americans think of sweet pies. But, Australians and Jamaicans have wonderful savory hand pies (or patties). Shepherd’s pie, quiche, and other savory varieties abound. The Chinese have xian Bing. Japan has Genji Pies. Latin American countries have empanadas. In short, the US doesn’t control the Pie market. Which is surprising since Pie has its own PAC.
Winning Popularity contests
As you may have guessed, Apple is the most popular pie in the United States, and possibly the world. But, It has a plurality, not majority of the Pie pie (pie referring to the total amount of pies per capita). While it enjoys immense popularity, there are regional differences in which pie is most popular. Pecan and Pumpkin pie actually outsell Apple in some areas. And, Blueberry and Cherry round out the top 5 with huge market capitalization in their respective growing regions (Maine and Michigan for example).
And, this is why Americans are overweight and have high diabetes rates. Notice that the top 5 pies are all sweet, not a savory one in the bunch. But, chicken pot pie does rank as a popular savory pie. Of course, that’s not the healthiest dish either. But, are you going to take on the ever powerful Pie lobby to change things? Remember, Pie has it’s own PAC. And, you don’t want to mess with them. They play hardball. And, if you don’t want to end up as an ingredient in an oversized pie, yourself, you’d best stay in your own lane and keep eating pie…
Is someone holding a gun to your head?
Despite the fact that Pie has its own PAC, pies have an intrinsic draw for humans. They are the ultimate comfort food. Pies were popular long before National Pie day and the Political machine behind it. The Andy Griffith show featured Aunt Bea making pies almost every episode in the 1960’s, long before the council was even a thing. And, don’t forget, they date back to Ancient times. So, it’s not like anyone is forcing you to eat them.
But, you can, easily, avoid the commercial Pie industry. People make pies themselves everyday. In fact, some say it’s as easy as pie. And, today reminds us of that. It’s easy as 1,2,3, just like the song says.
If Aunt B can make a pie every day, certainly, you can make one every now and then. And, we have some recipes to help you along. You can make a big batch of dough, cut it into portions, and freeze what you won’t use in a few days. Then, it’s a question of making fillings. That’s part of the beauty. You can put in anything you want. Whether it’s fruit in syrup, meat, and/or vegetables, the world is your pie. It’s all about encasing it in dough.
Pie has its own PAC. But, we can make our own variations.
While a simple 1,2,3 dough is fine. It’s not your only option for pie. You can use puff pastry, biscuit dough, bread dough, even potatoes or other vegetables (Think Shepherd’s pie). And, what constitutes a pie is a pretty broad definition. There are bottom crust, like a quiche or lemon meringue pie. Top crust pies are things like a pot pie where the filling is in a bake proof container with dough or other topping (like mashed potato) baked on top. And, then there are double crusts where the filling is fully encased in dough. There are variations on that theme too, with lattice crusts or the like. Plus, don’t forget: pizza is a pie too.
While most pies are baked, Frying or grilling is always an option. Remember, the dough is a vehicle for the filling. Conversely, the filling could be flavoring for the dough. It depends on your point of view or preference. During the middle ages, in mostly British areas, they used to make pies in squares or rectangles. They baked it in a dough “box” called a cofyn. The dough was usually pretty tough, sturdy, and, basically, inedible. Only the desperate actually ate it. It was more a vehicle to bake a stew in. Nowadays, it doesn’t make sense to waste dough like that. The whole pie should be edible. So, whatever dough you use, make it good. 1,2,3 is a good starting point. But, ratios can be adjusted. You want a good amount of fat and liquid. But, enough flour or starch to keep it sturdy.
An inexact science
You can find recipes that claim to be the best, and have perfect ratios. They’ll tell you to sift your flower and you need 1 cup and 2 level teaspoons, etc. They make it sound like if you don’t follow their exact recipe and have precise temperatures and methods, everything will be ruined. Relax. It’s pie. It’s supposed to be easy and comforting. Granted, you do need to be careful about overworking the dough, or having wildly wrong proportions. But, being in the ballpark is just fine. That’s why 1 part water, 2 parts fat, 3 parts flour is a time tested method. Of course, then you get into lacquering the dough, and other such things. But, don’t get overwhelmed. If you start with cold butter in small bits, fold it into the flour, and combine it together with liquid, you’ll be fine.
While you can make it in a food processor, I find making it by hand an easier way to control the product. You maintain larger pieces of fat, which helps with flakiness. And, you control how much the dough gets worked. So, it won’t be chewy. Sure it’s more physical. And, it takes a little longer. But, you’re having pie. Burning a few calories isn’t a bad idea. How lazy do you really want to be? Of course, if you’re making a larger batch, using a machine isn’t a bad idea. Either way, there’s no judgment. Just be careful using a machine that you don’t overwork the dough. Pulse ingredients, and give a manual assist where you can.
A perfect balance
So, you have a nice dough. Now for the filling. The important thing about the filling is a proper balance of moistness. Remember, the dough will absorb some of whatever you fill it with. That means the filling has to be relatively wet. But, you don’t want it too wet. I made the mistake of simply tossing fresh apples with sugar and spice one time. I thought it would make for crisp apples instead of mushy ones. But, when it baked, all the liquid from the apples oozed out. When I cut into the pie, it just flooded out. And, the bottom crust was a soggy mess. Lesson learned. Use a binder to absorb liquid.
Conversely. If your filling is not wet enough, the dough will absorb too much of the moisture. You end up with a dry, flavored bread. remember that Cofyn dough? Yeah, don’t want to go there. So, it requires balancing the amount of liquid and binders. If you make a pot pie, you want enough liquid for the meat to swim in. But, you don’t want to cut into it and have a stew ooze out all over the place. If you do something like a hand meat pie, make sure you have some cheese or fat in the mix. Otherwise the dough will soak up any moisture. then, you end up with a doubly dry product.
Pie has its own PAC. And, we have some recipes for you.
Following are a few recipes to get you started. Play with different ideas, though. The first recipe is a simple pie dough. With a batch on hand, you can fill it with whatever you have. You can do a classic apple, mixed fruit, or get into other things like nut pies, custards, ricotta pie. Then again, you can use this dough for more savory applications. The nice thing is that it can be baked or fried. So, if you want to use it for something like a hand pie or empanada, have at it. Either way, feel free to experiment. And, as Meher Baba would say: don’t worry, bake happy.
Flaky Pie Dough
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 Cups Flour
- 1 Cup Unsalted Butter
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1/2 Cup Ice Water
Instructions
- Mix the flour and salt in a large bowl. Chop the cold butter into pea sized pieces. Chop the butter into the flour and mix until it becomes like coarse meal. Add water about a tablespoon at a time, and mix well until a dough forms. You don't want to make it too wet. Once it is firm, but, not tacky, form two balls. Roll each in flour, cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours until you are ready to use it. This step allows the worked up gluten/protein strands to rest. You can use it right away. But, resting it makes for a flakier pastry. The dough can hold for days. You can even freeze it too. A handy trick is to roll it out, put it in a pie tin, and freeze the extra so you have a pie crust ready to go, next time you want to make a pie. It will save a lot of time.
Grand marnier Apple Pie with Candied Kumquat
Ingredients
- For Crust
- 3.14 Cups Flour
- 1.5 Cups Butter
- 1/2 to 3/4 Cup Ice Cold water
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 2 Tbsp Sugar (optional)
- For Candied Kumquats
- 1/2 Lb Kumquats
- 3 Cups Water
- 1 Cup Sugar
- 1 oz Grand Marnier
- For Filling
- 1/2 cup Unsalted Butter
- 3 Tbsp Flour
- 1/2 Cup White Sugar
- 1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
- 1/4 Cup Brandy or cognac
- 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp Nutmeg
- 2 Tbsp Chopped Fresh Ginger
- 3 Lb Peeled, cored, and slice Hearty apples (Granny smiths hold up best)
- To finish:
- Melted butter
- large grain sugar like turbinado
Instructions
- make the dough: Mix flour, salt, and sugar. Cut the butter into pea sized pieces. Keep the butter as cold as possible. Mix together until a loose paste forms. Then add the water a little at a time until it forms a solid dough. You may not need all the water. Dust the dough with flour. Cover it and let it rest for at least 15 minutes.
- Make the candied Kumquats: Quarter the kumquats. Remove seeds and stems. Put all ingredients in a pot. Bring to a boil, then taper back to a simmer. Allow it to cook down until the fruit softens and the liquid becomes a syrup. Let it cool down
- make the filling: Melt the butter in a pan. Stir in the flour to make a light rough. Cook, stirring, for about a minute. Then add in the sugar and ginger. Stir and cook until the sugars melt to a caramel. Stir in the spices. Then add in the apples. Cook and stir until they begin to soften. Add the brandy and flame the alcohol off.
- Preheat oven to 425.
- Roll out the dough into 2 rounds on a floured surface. Put one round into a sprayed 9 or 10 inch pie pan. Place the apple filling in the crust. Spread the kumquats on top of the apple mix. Then, put the other pie crust on top. Crimp the shells together at the edges. Cut away any excess from the over hang. Then brush the top crust with melted butter, and, sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 15 minutes at 425. Then drop the temperature in the oven to 350 and cook for another 35 to 45 minutes.
Notes
Limoncello scented Lemon Meringue Pie
Ingredients
- Pie crust (recipe to follow)
- For Filling:
- 1 Cup Water
- 5 Large Egg Yolks (you will use the egg whites for the meringue later)
- 1 1/4 Cup Granulated Sugar
- 1/3 Cup Cornstarch
- 3/4 Cup Lemon Juice
- 3 Tbsp Lemon Zest
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 3 Tbsp Unsalted Butter
- For Meringue:
- 5 Large Egg Whites
- 1/2 tsp Cream of tartar
- 1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar
- 1/8 tsp Salt
- For the Limoncello Garnish:
- 1 Cup Limocello
- 1/2 Cup Water
- 1/4 Cup Sugar
- The zest of 2 lemons, peeled off with a channel knofe into long strips
Instructions
- Par-bake the pie crust: Roll out the dough and fit into a 9 inch pie pan. Poke the bottom lightly with a fork. Then spray with pan spray and line the inside of the dough with foil, place dry beans or rice in the foil to weigh the crust down, so it will stay in place and maintain its shape. Bake at 375, until the crust is lightly browned (about 15 minutes). Remove the foil and beans. You can Work on the filling and meringue while this is baking. When done, reduce temperature to 350.
- Make the Limoncello Garnish: Boil the limoncello, water, sugar and zest until it becomes a syrup and the zest becomes limp and almost translucent. Set aside to cool.
- Make the Filling: Mix the corn starch with a little water to make a slurry. Whisk together the sugar, water, juice, salt, and lemon zest in a pot. Bring to a boil over medium high heat. Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks in a mixing bowl. Slowly drizzle the hot liquid into the egg yolks while whisking until both are the same temperature, transfer it back into the pot and return to the stove. Stir continuously until it begins to thicken. Whisk in the cornstarch and allow the mixture to thicken. Be careful not to overcook the eggs or they will become scrambled. When thick, transfer to the pie crust and smooth out.
- Make the meringue: In a stand mixer with a whip attachment, whip the egg whites and cream of tartar until frothy. Add in the sugar and salt. Continue whipping until stiff peaks appear. Do not over-whip or it will break down. You can either spread the meringue with a rubber spatula or pipe on top with a pastry bag and tip.
- Bake the pie for 20 to 25 minutes. The top should have a golden brown hue. You can tent it with foil if it gets too dark too quick. Remove from the oven. Let it rest for about an hour. Refrigerate for about 3 to 4 hours so it has time to set up solidly enough to cut. Drizzle with the limoncello syrup and drape the zest from the limoncello evenly over the top of the pie or garnish as you are serving.
Notes
Margarita Neopolitan Pizza Pie
Equipment
- Pizza Stone
Ingredients
- 1.5 Lb Type 00 flour
- 1 Tbsp Kosher Salt
- 1 Tbsp dry active yeast
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- 1 pint warm water Around 100 degrees fahrenheit
- 1 to 2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive oil
- Topping:
- 2 Lb Sliced Fresh Tomato
- 1 cup Thin sliced/shaved sweet Onion
- 2 Tbsp Thin shaved Fresh garlic
- 1 Lb Thin sliced and drained Fresh mozzarella
- 1/2 Cup Fresh basil leaves
- Olive oil to drizzle
- Flaked Sea Salt and Cracked Black Pepper
- 1 tsp Oregano or 1Tbsp Fresh chopped
- 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- corn meal for dusting
Instructions
- Put warm water, sugar and yeast in the bowl of a mixer. Allow the yeast to activate for about 10 minutes
- Add in the salt and 1 Tbsp olive oil.
- Use a dough hook attachment on the mixer. Start at a low speed, and gradually add in the flour. Then increase the speed as you incorporate the last of the flour, so it doesn't fly all over.
- Mix until a dry dough forms. Add a little more oil if it is too dry.
- Remove the dough from the bowl and put on a floured surface. Sprinkle flour on top and cover. Let the dough sit about 20 minutes to 1/2 hour.
- Cut the dough into smaller portions if you want or leave whole if you have a large enough stone to accomodate.
- Preheat your oven to it's highest temperature. Most max out at 550. Have the pizza stone in the oven
- When the oven is hot, form the dough by hand. You can roll it out if you want, but I find the dough forms better and has a better mouth feel if done by hand.
- The dough can be formed on a pizza peel and slid into the oven or built on the stone itself. If you build it on the stone, be prepared to work fast. Either way, you want to dust the stone with corn meal to prevent sticking. If you are building on a peel, put some corn meal on the peel as well (also to prevent sticking).
- Drizzle the pizza crust with olive oil. Top with tomato slices (thin is better), onion, and garlic, top that with the fresh mozarella, then sprinkle parmesan, oregano, salt, and pepper on.
- Bake for about 10 to 15 minutes depending on how well done you want it. The cheese should be somewhat browned. Be careful that it is not too wet.
- Either hand tear or slice the basil and sprinkle evenly over the pizza, Cut and serve immediately.
Notes
- Type 00 flour is a finely ground flour available in specialty stores. In Italy they categorize flour by the fineness of the grind. 00 is the finest grind. It’s gluten content is similar to AP flour, but the grinding makes the gluten react differently, resulting in a crisper dough. You can mix with AP or bread flour if you want a chewier crust.
- Fresh Mozzarella needs to be drained first. It has a lot of moisture, and can make your pizza soggy. Slice it thin. Otherwise it will not cook quick enough, and, the moisture will seep out. You can use regular mozzarella if you want. But, fresh or buffalo Moz is preferred in this type of pizza.
- Strain the tomatoes too. They can sog out the crust as well.
- This dough is universal. I like to make larger batches of it, cut into smaller balls, and freeze the dough. You can put whatever toppings you want on it. Try a fig, prosciutto, and blue cheese, drizzle with balsamic reduction! Molto Bene!