the entire premise of "The Sing-Off" is addictive. Who doesn't love a capella singing?! ok, maybe it's not everyone's cup of tea, but in my family we act like each and every day is a musical. We're as apt to break into song as we are rip off a Monty Python sketch or begin speaking in fake foreign accents. The fun thing is that my dad is just as likely to begin the singing as my music teacher mom.
There weren't many things that were women's jobs or men's jobs, girls' toys or boys' in my house. In fact, dad could often be found telling me that "it doesn't matter what's between your legs, but what's between your ears." That sort of thing carries over to the rest of our lives as well. Growing up, arguments were more often to be about who got to cook dinner than a plaintive wonder why there was no help. My paternal grandfather was quite similar: he was definitely the cook and baker. I mentioned this in an earlier post, discussing how chocolate cake was under my grandmother's purview.
I suppose that's why I always think of my grandfather when I think about learning to bake a pie. I've been learning to cook since I was about four, when my mom pulled a chair over to the stove, had me stand upon it, and stir something. My grandparents lived next door when I was growing up, so sleepovers and time spent learning from them was a regular occurrence. From my grandfather, I learned to make pie crust and bake everything from standard fruit pies to cream pies, to lemon meringue.
It might be that early learning process that means that I'm not scared of pie crust. Is is something of a sacrilege to use any form of refrigerated or frozen, mass-produced pie crust. I'm sorry, but the process is so very easy, once you've practiced and gotten the knack, that you should never. ever. ever. bother with the whole not-homemade crust thing. It's a personal soapbox of mine. I won't eat (chain) restaurant pie, I won't use fake pie crust, and I grudgingly wrinkle my nose whenever my friends do. It's not a man thing, it's not a woman thing, it's something every person over the age of ten should know how to make.
Bothering with the filling is an entirely separate process. Fresh apples require cornstarch or tapioca and a cookie sheet underneath to keep the bubbling juices from filling your oven with acrid smoke. I wimp out and use strained, canned cherry pie filling, with added vanilla and nutmeg. Cream and gelled pies are an entirely separate beast, what with the pre-baking and post-baking process. Today is really all about a simple crust. This recipe makes enough dough for a standard 2-crust pie, or one large tart, as pictured below (it's apples and dried, pitted figs with an apricot bourbon glaze).
Pie Dough (literally, as easy as pie once you get the hang of it)
2 cups flour
1/4 cup white sugar
pinch salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
6 tablespoons nearly frozen butter
1/4 to 1/3 cup water
mix together the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder. cut the stick of butter (you'll want a knife with a blade longer than the stick itself for easier cutting) into quarters lengthwise, then dice into small pieces. Dump the butter into the bowl and use your forefingers an thumbs to squish each piece into the flour. It will take about 5-10 minutes of finger power before the butter is incorporated. The mix will look like sand, and you'll be able to take handfuls of the mix and squish them together into crumbly chunks.
Then, add the water. Start with 1/8 of a cup, stirring with a fork and adding more water until a dough begins to form. Replace the fork with your hands, kneading the dough to make it come together. You'll want a malleable dough that is not sticky nor dry.
If making a two crust pie, divide the dough in half (if making a one-crust, just continue). Sprinkle flour heavily on a counter or marble slab, rubbing some onto your rolling pin, and throwing some on top of the ball of dough as well. Begin rolling the dough, sprinkling a bit more flour on the dough, spinning and flipping it after every three or so passes. Do attempt to get a round shape, though.
Once the dough is the appropriate shape and size, fold in half and place in your baking dish. If there are any cracks, gently wet your finger and smush them back together. If you've got missing patches, simply cut the extra pieces off, wet the edges and patch.
Fill and bake as desired, usually starting at 375-400 degrees, then increasing the temperature for the final 15-20 minutes to 400-415 degrees.
"Be well. Do good work. Keep in touch." - Garrison Keillor
There weren't many things that were women's jobs or men's jobs, girls' toys or boys' in my house. In fact, dad could often be found telling me that "it doesn't matter what's between your legs, but what's between your ears." That sort of thing carries over to the rest of our lives as well. Growing up, arguments were more often to be about who got to cook dinner than a plaintive wonder why there was no help. My paternal grandfather was quite similar: he was definitely the cook and baker. I mentioned this in an earlier post, discussing how chocolate cake was under my grandmother's purview.
It might be that early learning process that means that I'm not scared of pie crust. Is is something of a sacrilege to use any form of refrigerated or frozen, mass-produced pie crust. I'm sorry, but the process is so very easy, once you've practiced and gotten the knack, that you should never. ever. ever. bother with the whole not-homemade crust thing. It's a personal soapbox of mine. I won't eat (chain) restaurant pie, I won't use fake pie crust, and I grudgingly wrinkle my nose whenever my friends do. It's not a man thing, it's not a woman thing, it's something every person over the age of ten should know how to make.
Bothering with the filling is an entirely separate process. Fresh apples require cornstarch or tapioca and a cookie sheet underneath to keep the bubbling juices from filling your oven with acrid smoke. I wimp out and use strained, canned cherry pie filling, with added vanilla and nutmeg. Cream and gelled pies are an entirely separate beast, what with the pre-baking and post-baking process. Today is really all about a simple crust. This recipe makes enough dough for a standard 2-crust pie, or one large tart, as pictured below (it's apples and dried, pitted figs with an apricot bourbon glaze).
2 cups flour
1/4 cup white sugar
pinch salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
6 tablespoons nearly frozen butter
1/4 to 1/3 cup water
mix together the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder. cut the stick of butter (you'll want a knife with a blade longer than the stick itself for easier cutting) into quarters lengthwise, then dice into small pieces. Dump the butter into the bowl and use your forefingers an thumbs to squish each piece into the flour. It will take about 5-10 minutes of finger power before the butter is incorporated. The mix will look like sand, and you'll be able to take handfuls of the mix and squish them together into crumbly chunks.
Then, add the water. Start with 1/8 of a cup, stirring with a fork and adding more water until a dough begins to form. Replace the fork with your hands, kneading the dough to make it come together. You'll want a malleable dough that is not sticky nor dry.
If making a two crust pie, divide the dough in half (if making a one-crust, just continue). Sprinkle flour heavily on a counter or marble slab, rubbing some onto your rolling pin, and throwing some on top of the ball of dough as well. Begin rolling the dough, sprinkling a bit more flour on the dough, spinning and flipping it after every three or so passes. Do attempt to get a round shape, though.
Once the dough is the appropriate shape and size, fold in half and place in your baking dish. If there are any cracks, gently wet your finger and smush them back together. If you've got missing patches, simply cut the extra pieces off, wet the edges and patch.
Fill and bake as desired, usually starting at 375-400 degrees, then increasing the temperature for the final 15-20 minutes to 400-415 degrees.
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