A Year of PiesA Seasonal Tour of Home Baked Pies

Ashley English has earned degrees in holistic nutrition and sociology. She has worked over the years with a number of nonprofit organizations committed to social and agricultural issues, is currently a member of Slow Food USA, and has had a regular column for the popular blog Design*Sponge entitled “Small Measures with Ashley” and another column for Where Women Cook magazine called “Homemade Living.” She is the author of four books in The Homemade Living Series (Canning & Preserving, Keeping Chickens, Keeping Bees, Home Dairy). Ashley has been featured in major publications, including Food & Wine, Delish, Edible Magazines, and Anthology. She has been a repeat guest on Martha Stewart Radio on SiriusFM. She blogs at small-measure.blogspot.com. Ashley lives in Candler, NC.

 
http://www.smallmeasure.com/

“Well-thought-out recipes centered on seasonal ingredients…plenty of updated standards incorporating new ingredients or flavor twists.”

—The Wall Street Journal

 

“If you buy one pie book this year, make it this one.”

–Rurally Screwed

Blueberry Refrigerator Pie & Graham Cracker Crust

Blueberry Refrigerator Pie

 

Refrigerator pies are ideal for those dog days of summer when it’s simply too darn hot to turn on the oven. Aside from a short stint in the oven to pre-bake the crust, this pie requires no time in the oven whatsoever. The berries are first cooked down into a compote and then blended with cream and ricotta cheeses, creating an almost surreal purple hue. Studded with fresh berries on top, this pie is cool, creamy, and gorgeous.

 

Makes: One 9-inch deep-dish pie

 

Graham Cracker Crust

 

You can use either the “sheets” of prepared graham crackers or the smaller “sticks” for this recipe. Either way, be sure to begin with 8 ounces and then crush them. If making Frozen Strawberry Pie (page 71), cool the crust completely before adding the filling; otherwise it will cause the filling to melt and pool.

 

Makes: Crust for one 9-inch deep-dish pie
You will need
9-inch deep-dish pie plate
8    ounces graham crackers, (about 2 cups)
8    tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
2    tablespoons granulated sugar
½    teaspoon sea salt
Preheat the oven to 350°F.

 

Crush the graham crackers either by pulsing them in a food processor or placing them in a plastic freezer bag and rolling over them with a rolling pin.

 

Combine the crushed graham crackers, melted butter, sugar, and salt in a medium-size bowl and stir until fully mixed.

 

Press the mixture into the 9-inch deep-dish pie plate, covering the bottom evenly and pressing the crumbs halfway up the sides.

 

Bake the crust 10 minutes, then remove from the oven and cool completely before filling.

 

Filling

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 pint blueberries

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons arrowroot powder or cornstarch

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Grated zest of one lemon

8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

2 cups ricotta cheese, at room temperature

 

Topping

1/2 pint blueberries

 

Prepare the filling

Melt the butter in a medium-size saucepan. Add the blueberries and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, until the berries begin to release their juices.

 

Mix together the sugar and starch in a small bowl. Stir into the blueberry mixture, then add the lemon juice and zest and cook 5 minutes longer, until the mixture thickens and becomes “jammy.”

 

Remove from the heat and stir in the cream cheese and ricotta.

 

Transfer the mixture to a food processor or blender and puree for about one minute, until the mixture is smooth and creamy.

 

Assemble the pie

Pour the blueberry and cheese mixture into the prepared crust. Arrange the half-pint of blueberries evenly over the surface of the pie, then refrigerate the pie for at least 8 hours or overnight. Serve chilled.

 

Reprinted with permission from A Year of Pies by Ashley English, Lark Books, an imprint of Sterling Publishing Co., Inc.