Pie! (now with recipes)
Every year I do a double layered Pecan Pumpkin Pie with Vanilla Bourbon Sauce. This year I decided to make a Pistachio Pumpkin Pie as my favorite Thanksgiving guest does not like pecans.
To tie the flavors together I added orange zest to the nutty half of the pie.
Twiddling with something tried and true and much loved was nerve wracking but now I can't wait to make it next year with some tweaks :)
Pecan Pumpkin Pie Recipe of the past can be found: http://community.livejournal.com/food_porn/1784832.html
But instead of the regular crust mentioned in the recipe I use a rich tart crust ala Mark Bittman:
Rich Tart Crust
* 1 1/2 cups (about 7 ounces) all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 2 tablespoons sugar
* 10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into about 10 pieces
* 2 egg yolks, plus more as needed
* 3 tablespoons ice water, plus 1 tablespoon if needed
1. Combine the flour, salt, and sugar in the container of a food processor; pulse once or twice. Add the butter and turn on the machine; process until the butter and flour are blended and the mixture look like cornmeal, about 10 seconds. Add the egg yolks and process another few seconds.
2. Place the mixture in a bowl and sprinkle 3 tablespoons of water over it. Use a wooden spoon or a rubber spatula to gradually gather the mixture into a ball; if the mixture is dry, add another tablespoon of ice water. When you can make the mixture into a ball with your hands, do so. Wrap in plastic, flatten into a small disk, and freeze the dough for 10 minutes (or refrigerate for 30 minutes); this will ease rolling. (You can also refrigerate the dough for a day or two, or freeze it almost indefinitely.)
3. You can roll the dough between two sheets of plastic wrap, usually quite successfully; sprinkle both sides of it with a little more flour, then proceed. Or sprinkle a counter top or large board with flour. Unwrap the dough and place it on the work surface; sprinkle its top with flour. if the dough is hard, let it rest for a few minutes; it should give a little when you press your fingers into it.
4. Roll with light pressure, from the center out. If the dough seems very sticky at first, add a little flour; but if it becomes sticky while you're rolling, return it to the refrigerator for 10 minutes before proceeding. Continue to roll, adding flour as necessary, rotating the dough occasionally, and turning it over once or twice. (Use ragged edges of dough to repair any tears, adding a drop of water while you press the patch into place.) When the diameter of the dough is about 2 inches greater than that of your tart pan, move the dough into the pan by draping it over the rolling pin or by folding it into quarters, then unfolding it into the pan. When the dough is in the pan, press it firmly into the bottom, sides, and junction of bottom and sides. Save scraps to patch holes, or just bake them as small, simple cookies.
5. Before filling, freeze the dough for twenty minutes (or refrigerate it for 1 hour).
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Prick the crust all over with a fork. Line it with tin foil and weigt the bottom with a pile of dried beans, rice (these can be reused for this same purpose), or other weights that will sit flat on the surface. Bake 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and carefully remove the weights and foil; turn the oven to 325 degrees F.
For Pistachio Pumpkin Pie I did 3/4 pistachios instead of pecans and used about 1/2 Tbs of fresh orange zest (it was eyeballed and nostril guided).
To tie the flavors together I added orange zest to the nutty half of the pie.
Twiddling with something tried and true and much loved was nerve wracking but now I can't wait to make it next year with some tweaks :)
Pecan Pumpkin Pie Recipe of the past can be found: http://community.livejournal.com/food_porn/1784832.html
But instead of the regular crust mentioned in the recipe I use a rich tart crust ala Mark Bittman:
Rich Tart Crust
* 1 1/2 cups (about 7 ounces) all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 2 tablespoons sugar
* 10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into about 10 pieces
* 2 egg yolks, plus more as needed
* 3 tablespoons ice water, plus 1 tablespoon if needed
1. Combine the flour, salt, and sugar in the container of a food processor; pulse once or twice. Add the butter and turn on the machine; process until the butter and flour are blended and the mixture look like cornmeal, about 10 seconds. Add the egg yolks and process another few seconds.
2. Place the mixture in a bowl and sprinkle 3 tablespoons of water over it. Use a wooden spoon or a rubber spatula to gradually gather the mixture into a ball; if the mixture is dry, add another tablespoon of ice water. When you can make the mixture into a ball with your hands, do so. Wrap in plastic, flatten into a small disk, and freeze the dough for 10 minutes (or refrigerate for 30 minutes); this will ease rolling. (You can also refrigerate the dough for a day or two, or freeze it almost indefinitely.)
3. You can roll the dough between two sheets of plastic wrap, usually quite successfully; sprinkle both sides of it with a little more flour, then proceed. Or sprinkle a counter top or large board with flour. Unwrap the dough and place it on the work surface; sprinkle its top with flour. if the dough is hard, let it rest for a few minutes; it should give a little when you press your fingers into it.
4. Roll with light pressure, from the center out. If the dough seems very sticky at first, add a little flour; but if it becomes sticky while you're rolling, return it to the refrigerator for 10 minutes before proceeding. Continue to roll, adding flour as necessary, rotating the dough occasionally, and turning it over once or twice. (Use ragged edges of dough to repair any tears, adding a drop of water while you press the patch into place.) When the diameter of the dough is about 2 inches greater than that of your tart pan, move the dough into the pan by draping it over the rolling pin or by folding it into quarters, then unfolding it into the pan. When the dough is in the pan, press it firmly into the bottom, sides, and junction of bottom and sides. Save scraps to patch holes, or just bake them as small, simple cookies.
5. Before filling, freeze the dough for twenty minutes (or refrigerate it for 1 hour).
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Prick the crust all over with a fork. Line it with tin foil and weigt the bottom with a pile of dried beans, rice (these can be reused for this same purpose), or other weights that will sit flat on the surface. Bake 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and carefully remove the weights and foil; turn the oven to 325 degrees F.
For Pistachio Pumpkin Pie I did 3/4 pistachios instead of pecans and used about 1/2 Tbs of fresh orange zest (it was eyeballed and nostril guided).