Last night's supper was delicious.
We had marinated pork chops...Cori whipped a little something up with some secret ingredients
(usually that is something with balsamic, olive oil, cummin and some other seasonings and coke) and then we grilled them. I whipped up some butter seared (or is it seered) garlic green beans and then a homemade cherry pie with freshly made, lemon-infused, whipped cream.
The green beans were delicious and super easy
about a tablespoon
(or more...depends on how much you like butter...I like it, I use a little more) of butter and about 2-3 gloves of freshly pressed garlic
(I guess you could smash it too but I kind of like biting into some garlic pieces)
heat over med/low temp in a frying pan...once the butter is all melted I like to throw in some diced onion too
(I just like the flavor)
add freshly snapped beans and sautee until the beans start to get a little brownish on the outside. I usually cover them and let them sit for about 5 mins at this point...so they soften a bit but not too much
I like the crunch still
and the pie
the pie was devine!!!
The whole secret to a good pie is not the filling, you know. It is the crust. Making pie crust is an art. Too much kneading and the crust is tough, not enough and it is flat.
I love making pie. It sort of soothes my soul. I make pie crust in a batch, there is enough for 4 double crusted pies when I am done and I just freeze the extra. If you let it thaw in the refrigerator, the frozen crust is just as good as freshly made
(well almost...you end up dusting with a bit more flour so it loses some of the flakey but it isn't really noticable unless you are a freak about it, like me)
so
last night I made a batch of pie crust and I have to say, it was pretty cathartic. Who knew that making pies would settle my soul? I bake when I am at a loss, when I don't know what to do, or when I have to think things out. Last night's pie baking was a combination of all of the above.
And
Soothing to my soul.
My mom taught me how to make pie crusts a million years ago. If any of you know my mom, you know she is a fantastic cook. Her pies are something to drive home to eat
(and I live 5 hours away so that is saying something) My favorite time of the year for baking is fall when the apple harvest is in. The smell of baking apples with cinnamon and nutmeg makes me feel safe and warm...it makes me feel love.
(I wonder if that has anything to do with the size of my waistline...equating love with the smell of food...hmmmmmmmmmmmm)
Anyway...Mom schooled me in the art that is pie crust pastry making. My mom is an artist too, you know. Not just of pie crusts either. She is amazing. Sometimes watching her cook is like watching her paint, all the ingredients swirling together, her knife flying fast and sure, the sizzling butter, the flour dust in the air...it is like a painting and a symphony all rolled into one. It is home.
So...pie crust...
(I AM getting there)
To all my Jewish friends, I apologize for this aspect but maybe there is some way that you can make lard be kosher. If not, I guess you are just out of luck. Some people make their pie crusts with shortening or butter...I have tried both ways and I am sorry but lard is the way to go. The taste, flakiness, browning, EVERYTHING is just better...loads better...with lard.
(that sounds like a commercial jingle...maybe I am missing my real calling...commercial jingles!!!)
You can find lard in any grocery store...I usually find it by the cold pickles or sometimes, the lunchmeat. If you can't find it, ask the meat counter guy or girl. They will know where it is.
The brand doesn't matter
(who even knew there were different brands of lard?) but you need the 1 pound brick of it.
let the lard sit out for awhile so it gets to room temperature. If you are lucky, like me, you have an awesome microwave that has a softening button. If you have the softening button, you can put the brick of lard in the microwave and hit soften and then whatever button on your microwave that means "butter" and put it in for the same time as you 4 sticks of butter to SOFTEN...not melt...no melted lard...that wouldn't work and it would be a mess.
in a big bowl
(stressing BIG here) you need to add 5 cups of flour.
I use all-purpose because really, who has all the other kinds of flour? also, all-purpose works the best (I did have bread flour one time and used that, thinking I would be all Rachel Rayish and the crust was not flakey)
so add your 5 cups of flour to your BIG bowl
next add 2 tsps of salt
then pack and add 3 tablespoons of BROWN sugar. Sometimes I have used the dark brown sugar and it makes the crust look more exotic...not that much moreso, so don't run out and buy it..just regular brown sugar is perfect.
side note: who does not love packing brown sugar? there is something so lovely in perfectly packed brown sugar...smooshing it in and then plopping it out, still holding the shape. I think building a sandcastle out of brown sugar would be lovely...it also is delicious in vanilla malt-o-meal
then add 1 tsp of baking powder (not baking soda)
stir these ingredients together
into the flour bowl, cut your brick of lard
(cut little pieces off with a butter knife and add them to your flour...I cut the lard into about 5 hunks and then each hunk into two pieces...it seems a bit more managable this way but you can cut your hunks whatever size you want to...except don't skip this part and leave the lard in a big 1 lb brick...you will regret it)
it will be a bit smoooooooshy but not too bad, cut off hunks into the bowl
using a pastry cutter
(that half moon shaped thingy that looks sort of fannish...) cut in the lard. if you don't have a pastry cutter
(and really...unless you make pie crusts very often, who does?) you can use a fork. I would recommend buying a pastry cutter if you plan on making pie crusts though...it is easier and makes things go quicker...although the fork method can really work your arm muscles.
when you cut in lard, it means you sort of mix it in. you smoosh the lard and flour together and the pastry cutter
(or fork) keeps things blending. You DO NOT want to use a mixer or a a fancy food processor and I will tell you why. First off, less cathartic, but, more importantly, the food processor and/or mixer, doesn't love your crust the way you should. It goes in there with blades flying and no sense of touch...just plows through. You don't want that, you want to be able to tell, by touch, exactly when the crust is done being mixed. Besides...how do you plan on working out your arm muscles?
once the flour and lard mixture is blended together and is crumbly but will stick together if you pinch it between your fingers
(try it) then you are ready for the next step.
take a liquid measuring cut and break an egg into it
(I am lucky because we have farm fresh eggs but any egg will do...except for the salminella outbreak eggs...don't use those) scramble the egg in the measuring cup. To that add 2 tablespoons of vinegar...mix the egg and vinegar together. Then fill the measuring cup so that it has one cup of egg, vinegar and cold water all mixed together
(does that make sense? your vinegar, egg and the cold water you add makes it ALL TOGETHER be 1 cup's worth)
slowly
(or quickly...doesn't really matter...it just sounds more recipe-ish to say slowly) add the egg mixture to your flour/lard mixture
now is where it gets fun
take off your rings
pull your hair back from your face and get ready
you are going to knead, baby, knead.
I like to do the first couple mixes of the egg mixture and the flour mixture with a fork...just to sort of get it started
but then you dig in with your hands
you squish the wet mixture in with the dry mixture and you use a similar motion as if you were making bread...you knead the wet mixture in. In essence, you fold over the dry mixture then squish it down, then fold it over then squish it down.
when you make bread, in this kneading phase, you sort of pull the pull the bread dough while folding it, you do the same motions here. the difference is who is the boss...with bread dough, you really show that dough that you are the boss, you muscle it around and you man-handle it but good, you do that to build up the air pockets so the bread is airy and light but the crust is still chewy
same principle but here, you a
ren't the boss, you are partners
you want to knead the dough and fold it and build air pockets but you have to be much more gentle...the dough is more fragile (like the emotions of a teenage girl...if you have ever dealt with any, you know what I mean...too much and they cry and their life is ruined, not enough and you don't love them or understand them)
you want to knead it together and get it all mixed up and then
STOP
DO NOT OVER KNEAD
if you over knead, your crust will be tough and chewy (like bread...good for bread, bad for pie)
you will know when it has been kneaded enough because it will be all mixed together but your arms won't be tired out :) all the flour and egg will be mixed together and will hold together
then, roll the dough in a big ball
(it should be the size of a baby's head, well the babies in my family anyway) then divide it into 4 sections. Each of these sections is enough for a double crusted pie.
I take the sandwich-sized freezer bags and freeze 3 sections...add the section in the bag and then before you close the bag, smoosh it flat...freezes better that way and takes up less room and helps you squash all the air out of the bag...mark them and toss them in the freezer...they are good for awhile but I have never kept them in there longer than 3 months...I know they are good that long, probably longer...the next time you want to make a pie, just thaw them out and voila
...(just a tip...you will need to flour your rolling surface more for the thawed out crust than you will for your first crust...not a big deal, but just so you know)
Now you have the section of freshly made pie crust, just waiting for the rolling. Cut the section in half, one will be for the top crust and one will be for the bottom.
(disclaimer...if you are making a pie with lots of filling, like my apple pies, you might not want to cut it perfectly in half...cut one side a bit bigger, that will be your top crust.)
generously flour your rolling surface
put your little section onto the floured surface and press down...I flatten by hand until it is at least the size of two hands, I find it to be a bit more managable doing it this way. Flatten a bit, then flip the crust over so the other side gets flour, and continue flipping and flattening. If you don't flip the crust while flattening it, it will stick to the surface and you will mangle your crust...not a big deal...still tastes good but lots messier and it doesn't look as pretty.
Once it is the size of about both of your hands, you take a rolling pin and finish the job.
(Have a light hand with you flattening and rolling, you don't want to eliminate all the wonderful air pockets...but don't be afraid to flop it around either...after all, you are going to put it in your belly in about 2 hours!!!)
You want to roll it out
(eyeball it up) so it is bigger than your pie pan...but not crazy big or it will be too thin...just a little bigger than the top of your pie pan
(You need the extra to go up the sides and to help make the outer crust) shoot for the size of a tostinos party pizza...smaller than a tombstone pizza but bigger than your pie pan.
once your crust is rolled out
(don't worry if it isn't a perfect circle...no one makes perfect circles..well maybe Martha Stewart but none of us are billionaires so who cares) fold it in half
CAREFULLY, then fold it in half again...looks like you have your own piece of pie crust pie. This makes it much easier to put in your pie pan...I didn't do this the first time I made pie on my own and what a mess...I was a wreck, there was pie crust everywhere, it didn't fit right....so this will save lots of frustration
ok
now you are ready to put the crust in your pan...line it up, put it in and unfold it
viola...
crust in the pan!!!
now you tap it down in the pan
(don't push or slam it...remember, teenage girl) and fill in any spots with holes or that are thin
(you CAN do that, you know...use the extra that is hanging over in spots and tear it off and push it in...if it isn't sticking together, just dip your finger in water and wet a bit...the flour from the sides with "glue" it together) now is also the time when you sort of dust off the extra flour you can see on the crust.
Now that all that work is done, add the flavoring of your choice...last night we had cherry...I just used a jar of cherry pie filling...no I didn't pit the cherries myself after picking them off of the cherry trees in some orchard somewhere...I just bought a jar of cherry pie filling...fast and easy and no chance of me forgetting a pit somewhere. Apple pie is different...I use fresh apples for that but cherry pie is just as tasty from the jar filling...I don't use canned filling as it sometimes takes on the metal taste. If you are up for making your own cherry filling, be my guest. I was lazy
Top crust is the same procedure as the bottom crust...except, after the filling is in, wet your finger and rub it along the outter edge of the crust...you will seal the top crust to the bottom crust this way...after folding it in 4ths, you lay it over the filling and unfold
(you have to be a bit more careful here as it is harder to redo the manuevering when it has filling all over it)
I like the crust so I don't mind if the ends are a little thicker crust, so I often fold the edges up...when I was younger though, my mom sliced off the extra crust...she would hold the pie up in the air with her left hand and then take a knife with her right and cut off the extra and sprinkle them with cinnamon and sugar...pie crust cookies. If you have a lot extra, I would suggest this...if you just have a few little extra shmenkins, don't bother.
I dip a fork in flour and use it to press the top and bottom crust together...it makes a pretty little design. You also have to cut air holes in the top...I make a bird track pattern because I think it is cute but just holes slit in will work as well.
sprinkle the top of the crust with suagr
(maybe a tablespoon or so) and bake
If you know you are making pie ahead of time and you happen to be a fancy coffee shop where they have sugar in the raw...you can take some extra packets because that sugar makes it very pretty...but if you aren't or, if you are like me and the nearest coffee shop is an hour away, regular sugar is just peachy.
Now, when I make apple pie, before I add the top crust, I plop about a tablespoon or a tablespoon and a half of butter onto my apples, it helps the apples soften and gives them an extra juiciness when they bake.
You can decorate the top crust with any little schmenkins of crust you have leftover...I have made hearts or apple shapes...whatever floats your boat.
If you are feeling very shmeepy and June Cleaverish, you can cut shapes out of your top crust before laying it on the pie as well...they actually make pie patterns
(I have one with hearts all over it) that you place on the crust like a giant cookie cutter and cut out. Then you don't have to cut the steam hole birdy tracks either...
I think these work fine on things like blueberry pies or cherry pies, the kind with all the sauce (I don't know the "cooking" term for that...but you know what I mean...all the jelly saucy stuff) I wouldn't do it with apple pie though...it isn't as saucey and so the apple pieces that show through in those spots have a tendency to over cook and then your pie isn't as juicy...but that is just me.
If you are making a pie with only one crust like rhubarb custard
(my FAVORITE) then you are lucky...make sure when you are dividing your section in half
(for the two crusts) you don't divide in half...you want the bottom crust to be much more generous in the crust department, this is so you can build up the edge crusts to form a sort of protective moat for your delicious filling. Then the extra pie crust can be rolled out, covered in cinnamon and sugar, baked at 375 for around 5 mins...melt in you rmouth goodness.
Tonight I will be making cream cheese croissants...which aren't really crossiants because I am not good like my mom so instead of the marble rolling pin and cutting board that has to be kept cold and the mounds of buttery goodness...I just use pilsbury croissants...
I have to make a pan for the potlcuk tomorrow so I will make a pan for home too
I was going to take pictures of our delicious mean
but
NO BATTERIES
(hende the title)
maybe I will pick some up when I get ingredients today
also making crepe batter tonight so it can rest for 24 hours....yummmmmmmm crepes...
I am thinking mandarin orange crepes with a brown sugar carmel type sauce
anotherr little side note...
if at all possible, make your own whipped cream...super easy and well worth it...you take a little carton of whipping cream
(2 cups worth) and pour it into a chilled bowl
(if your bowl isn't chilled...no big whoop..it will just take a couple extra minutes of whipping)...add 4 tbsps sugar and a tsp of vanilla.
(I use more but that is just me) whip it together with your mixture until peaks form
(it gets stiff and when you lift the beaters out the whipped cream holds it shape) I make mine infused with other flavors...last night I used a citrus flavor to help counteract the sweetness of the cherries...just grate up about a tsp or two
(depends on your tart level) of lemon zest...or you can use the flavor infused sugar instead of regular sugar... don't whip it too long or it will tast a little buttery and not in a good way...think churning cream into butter. You can always taste it too and add whatever you want to the mix...I have used cinnamon, cocoa, extra vanilla, almond extract...the sky is the limit...or, rather your tastebuds!!!
yummoriffic
OK...
so I wrote today...look at me, on a roll...practice makes perfect, right?
pie crust recipe..written out cookbook style
5 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
3 tbsp packed brown sugar
1 lb lard (room temperature)
1 egg
2 tbsp vinegar
add cold water to make one cup
measure flour, salt, baking powder and brown sugar into a big bowl. stir to mix ingredients
cut lard into pieces and add to mixture. using a pastry cutter, cut in lard until the mixture is crumbly and can be pinched together
break egg into a measuring cup. beat well with fork. add vinegar and mix. add cold water to make one cup. slowly pour over flour mixture, stirring with a fork to distribute. using your hands, work mixture until it will hold together . divide into 4 equal parts. each part is sufficient for a double crusted pie. wrap in plastic and store for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator or store in the freezer.
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