Forget Valentine's Day and President's Day--the most exciting part of February is celebrating Great American Pie Month! With it's versatility, ease of preparation, and rich history, pie is worth honoring.
The delicious dessert dates back to Ancient Greece, with references to sweetmeat filled pastries popping up in the plays of Aristophanes. While of course we'll never know what these dishes actually were, it sounds similar enough to our modern version of pie. The idea of a filled, portable pastry was understandably appealing to ancient cultures, where sea and land travel could take months. Ancient peoples needed food that could keep for extended periods of time without taking up too much room. Early Pilgrims and American settlers brought pies to our country, and from there the previous incarnations of the dish--from galettes to tarts--converged into our modern references. Native Americans showed settlers how to use local fruits and berries to make sweet versions of pies, and from there the traditions began to grow.
So no matter if you like sweet, savory, or somewhere in between, take some time this month to bake your favorite pie. We've pulled together a few of our favorite recipes to share but be sure to call out yours in the comments.
The Absolute Perfect Pie Crust
No matter how delicious the filing is, a truly tempting pie begins with the crust. Give yourself ample time to make it, and be patient--something this scrumptious is worth waiting for. For each recipe, use the following pie crust.
1.5 sticks (12 tbsp) very chilled unsalted butter
1 tsp Kosher salt
1 tbsp sugar
1/3 cup very chilled vegetable shortening
3 cups all-purpose flour
6-8 tbsp ice water
1. Dice the butter into small cubes and return it to the fridge until needed.
2. Add flour, sugar, and salt into your food processor and pulse a few times to mix thoroughly.
3. Add the butter and shortening, pulsing until the butter is the size of a caper.
4. Leave the food processor going on low and begin to drizzle in the ice water a little bit at a time. Do this until the dough begins to form into a ball.
5. Remove the dough from the food processor, wrap tightly in Saran wrap, and chill for 30-35 minutes.
6. Place the dough on a well-floured cutting board. Cut the dough in half and roll each half flat. Make sure to roll from the center going outward, re-flouring as needed to prevent the dough from sticking.
7. Gently fold the crust in half and place in your pie pan, then position to fit. This will prevent the dough from tearing.
8. Fill the pie, add the top crust, and bake as directed.
Bourbon Cherry Pie
5 cups sour cherries (drained well)
3/4 cups sugar
1 tbsp freshly grated orange zest
1/3 cup bourbon
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Mix gently and refrigerate overnight. If the filling appears too thin, add up to 2 teaspoons of cornstarch to thicken. Fill your pie crust and bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes. In the last five minutes, remove the pie from the oven and wash with one beaten egg. Return to the oven until the crust is golden brown. Serve with vanilla ice cream and lots of napkins.
Basil Balsamic Strawberry Pie
5.5 cups of fresh ripe strawberries, topped and sliced into quarters
2/3 cups sugar
1 tsp freshly grated lemon zest
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
1/4 cup starch
2 tsp fine balsamic vinegar
In a food processor, pulse the basil until its finely diced. Add the sugar and continue blending for about one minute. In a large bowl, combine sugar/basil, starch, lemon zest, and salt. Add the strawberries and gently combine, ensuring that the strawberries are well-coated. Add the vinegar and chill for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to mellow. Fill pie crust and top, brushing the top crust with whole milk and sugar. Bake at 425 for 13-15 minutes and then reduce temperature to 375 and bake for about 30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown.
Peach Blackberry Pie
5 cups peeled and sliced ripe peaches
1 cup blackberries, well rinsed and dried
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp all spice
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
Combine peaches and blackberries in a large bowl. Coat with lemon juice and mix gently. In a separate bowl, blend cinnamon, all spice, salt, and sugar, then slowly fold into the peaches and blackberries. Chill overnight and toss before adding to your pie crust. Bake at 450 for 10-15 minutes and then reduce temperature to 375 and bake for about 30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. Serve with vanilla ice cream, or as a scrumptious breakfast pastry with clotted cream.
Bacon Apple Bounty
6 cups peeled and sliced apples (Fuji or Honeycrisp are our favorites)
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp all spice
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp lemon juice
12 slices uncooked bacon
Mix brown sugar, cinnamon, all spice, cardamom and ground cloves in a small bowl. In a large dish, combine sliced apples, mixed spices and lemon juice until the apples are well coated. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes and then gently dish into pie crust. Top the crust with the slices of bacon in a lattice pattern, forgoing the top crust. Cover with foil and bake for 55-60 minutes at 350 degrees. Let stand at least one hour before serving.
