Entree: Cheddar, Corn, and Roasted Tomato Pie (Parade of Pies, Part 13)

Finally, at long last, we have the top-rated #1 winner of the pie parade! This delicious, eclectic pie was inspired by smitten kitchen’s recipe, and then edited to the right level of moisture that I wanted for the inside of the pie by roasting the tomatoes instead of blanching them. The result is reminiscent of sun-dried tomatoes, and can be combined with various other veggies that roast well (leeks, spring garlic, etc.) to create fun variations on the filling for this pie.

Roasted tomatoes are a magical transformation of their fresh counterparts, but some types are too delicate for this process. I recommend a tomato that is likely to hold up in a roast and really retain a ton of flavor, such as Roma/plums, San Marzanos, or some local Heirlooms.

By switching to a cheddar cheese-infused crust, it really enhances the color and flavor to make this pie absolutely irresistible. Don’t forget to make some cute steam vents on top, they’ll brown up a bit at the end and show off this pie to make it a winner at any meal.

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Entree: Shepherd’s Pie (Parade of Pies, Part 12)

This photo does not do justice to the scrumptiousness that was this pie. It wasn’t pretty but it was one of the tastiest of all the pies, which is why it’s the second to last one on this list. A shepherd’s pie is a meat pie with a mashed potato topping. I decided to make this a deep dish casserole, and so I did not include a bottom crust. You might find this pie reminiscent of our staple biscuit-topped chicken pot pie.

While this was one of the least conventional pies we made, I’m so glad we included it. The gravy was savory and packed with flavor. My mouth is watering remembering this pie, even though I ate it over four months ago. Several friends at our pie parade told us that they thought they didn’t like shepherd’s pie until they tried this one. I can’t take total credit for it though – the recipe was Alton Brown’s. I made a few changes to stretch it for a larger group.

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Entree: Scallion, Mushroom, and Bacon Quiche (Parade of Pies, Part 11)

I know, it’s unforgivable that I should start such a long series about pies, leaving some of the best ones for the end, only to disappear before finishing. My only excuse is that I’ve been so busy testing this quiche recipe over and over and over again, to make sure it was just perfect for you. All I can say is that this quiche came out great every time I made it. It’s very flexible, very savory, and just irresistible. Do yourself a favor and make it this week.

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Sides: Spinach Frittata (Parade of Pies, Part 10)

When I was a child, every party the family threw had “spinach cupcakes” for the kids. We all loved them, probably because we thought they were cupcakes and not healthy grown up food. As an adult I make them because they are a huge crowd-pleaser and are pretty quick to throw together. I’m too lazy to wash cupcake pans, so I make these “brownie” style and just cut squares. They make decent finger food as well.

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Sides: Curried Yams Tart (Parade of Pies, Part 9)

A few Thanksgivings ago, Jen and her mom went to the store to get a can of pumpkin for the pumpkin pie. They got home and realized that they had grabbed a can of sweet potatoes instead. Back to the store once more for an exchange, and back home again. The pie was made. And then eaten. And then the second can of sweet potatoes that was accidentally brought home was thrown away before anyone could see.

That’s the problem with so many sweet potato pies – they look like pumpkin pies, but aren’t them. When you are looking forward to pumpkin pie and you get sweet potato, it’s really disappointing. And sweet potato pie shouldn’t be disappointing, or indistinguishable. It should be delicious and unique.

I thought it would make more sense to have sweet potatoes as a side instead of competing with pumpkin pie as a dessert. Cubed instead of pureed. Savory and curried instead of sugared. A pie unlike any pumpkin pie I’ve ever seen.

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Sides: Braised Onion Tart Tatin (Parade of Pies, Part 8)

We’re finally done with the dessert pies! As good as those all were, savory pies are one of my latest obsessions. Making a savory pie can be just as easy as making a sweet pie, but for some reason we don’t always think of them. We should, however, because savory pies are a great way to feed and impress a lot of people at once. Think about it: you pick a filling, execute, and then all of the sudden you have a gorgeous meal that can feed eight people, give or take. This pie is a perfect example of one of those impressive, but actually pretty easy pies. And for all its looks, it was a pretty inexpensive pie to make as well, since the filling was mostly made up of onions.

Serve this as a side to any meal. This is great for potlucks, since it is not likely to be duplicated by other guests. Those who prefer not to eat meat, dairy, or eggs will be relieved to have a complex dish on the table that is not just another pasta salad. 

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Lemon Curd Pie (Parade of Pies, Part 7)

When you first see a pie like this one, it’s hard to know what’s under the surface. It’s certainly not what you’d expect. Crack beneath the crackly sugary top crust and you find a velvety lemon curd that you’ll wish you could spoon out of the entire pie just for yourself. Sweet and tart, gooey and crunchy, this pie needs nothing else. This is a lemon-meringue pie without the meringue. Who needs it when you get this creme-brulee-like crust on top?

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Shoofly Pie (Parade of Pies, Part 6)

“Shoo fly, don’t bother me!” I have to sing this little song to myself every time I think of shoofly pie. Most people I know are not familiar with shoofly pie, and I don’t even when I first heard of it. Shoofly pie is a cakey molasses pie that seems to come together from nothing.

Last year, I had the sudden urge make this pie to use a bottle of molasses I had had in my cabinet for a while. The recipe is actually a very easy one, but it was hard for me to imagine what it was supposed to  look like or what it would taste like. I used blackstrap molasses, which is one of the strongest tasting varieties. The pie came out looking almost like dark fudge. I loved it, though I don’t know that everyone I shared it with felt the same way – love of molasses is acquired and this kind was particularly bitter. Vanilla ice cream on top helped even it out, but at the time I didn’t think I would make it again.

I wanted to have something different to offer at the pie parade, so I decided to pull this one out again. This time I made it using a lighter molasses. The pie looked completely different and came out fluffy, not too sweet but not too bitter. To my surprise, this shoofly pie was the favorite on the dessert table, even though many of the people who tasted it were not big fans of molasses. I will definitely be making this pie again – it’s too easy and good not to.

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Syrian-style Baklava (Parade of Pies, Part 5)

**So it’s not a pie in the usual sense, but baklava is pastry stuffed with nuts, sweet syrup, and butter. The pie spirit is there. And really, who would complain about getting baklava?**

Growing up I never knew that there was more than one kind of baklava. The sticky, crispy, little diamonds with pistachio and that hint of rose water were the only ones I knew. Later, I found out that baklava comes in countless shapes and sizes, with different fillings and sweeteners. Every culture that makes it (think Mediterranean) makes it differently. Heck, every family probably makes it differently.

A few years ago, I happened upon a Turkish bakery on the East side of Manhattan that offered about a dozen varieties: baklava filled with pistachios, walnuts, even sour cherries and other dried fruits. Some were shaped like squares, others like small round nests, and still others rolled up like cigars. Jen and I bought two pieces of each to take home and slowly devoured them. They were absolutely delicious, crunchy and sticky sweet, but not the baklava I remembered from childhood.

If you think you don’t like baklava, please try these. The honey flavor that most people associate with what could be a too-sweet dessert is replaced by a lite simple syrup flavored with rose water. When you make them yourself, you can control how much syrup is used, so they don’t have to be too sweet if you don’t want them to be. When I make them, I probably use two-thirds to three-quarters of the syrup most people use. Just enough to flavor the pastry without completely saturating it. This way, they are the perfect complement to a heavy meal., and no one can eat just one.

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Sour Cherry Pie (Parade of Pies, Part 4)

Sour cherries aren’t really in season this time of year, but they can often be found jarred. They lose their characteristic bright red coloring when they are jarred (I believe the bright red “cherry pie filling” that you can find cans of has added coloring to make them look as they do when they are freshly picked). Instead, these have a darker purple coloring, which I associate with the fall and winter. These cherries are preserved in a very light sugar syrup, so they retain their natural tartness without taking on too much extra sweetness.

The tartness of the sour cherries and the lack of a top crust keeps this pie very light tasting, compared with some of the other pies I’ve posted so far. With the depth of flavor this pie packs, you’d be surprised that it is so easy to make. It’s a bit more complicated to make with fresh unpitted cherries, but we’d have to save that excursion for summer anyway.

I was worried about this pie filling having too much spread when cut, so I used some tapioca-based gelatin to make it a bit firmer. I don’t think it was entirely necessary, but it is an option if you want the filling to hold up more on its own.

 

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