… just meant that I “had” to make 2 pies this month. Ain’t even mad; got me a step closer to the original goal of 12. It was just Schatzi and me this year, for obvious reasons. So, we took total advantage of the situation and did Thanksgiving our way. Dessert was a mashup recipe from Bon Appetit that combines the best of pie world: pecan and pumpkin pie.
For the crust of pecan-rye pumpkin pie, you need:
- 1/4 cup rye flour (can sub AP if needed)
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- 3/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1 1/2 cups AP flour, and more for the counter
- 3/4 cup CHILLED unsalted butter (cut into pieces and throw it in the freezer for 5 minutes)
- 1 egg white, lightly beaten (keep the yolk for the filling)
Whisk the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add the butter and toss until the pieces are coated. Use your fingers to rub the butter into the flour until you have large rough pieces. Work quickly and don’t be afraid to be aggressive-we want everything to stay as cold as possible. You should have a mixture of large, chunky pieces and some that are smaller and flat. Scatter 5 tbsp ice water over the mixture and use your fingers to distribute. Knead the dough until it begins coming together. It will look a bit dry, and you can add more ice water by teaspoon until the dough begins to hold together. Turn it out and knead a couple more times. Press the dough to blend in any shaggy edges and loose parts. Dust lightly with flour and form into a 5×7″ rectangle. Gently tap with a rolling pin to compress and straighten edges. Roll it out until your dough is 3 times longer than the original (add flour as needed to keep from sticking). Fold dough over itself in thirds (like a letter) to form a square (or rectangle, as I did…). Wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.
Heat the oven to 400°. Lightly flour the counter and roll the dough out to a 12″ round. Use the rolling pin to transfer the dough to a 9″ pie dish and press into the bottom and up the sides. Remember. If it breaks, it breaks. You can patch it and no one will be the wiser! Trim the excess dough and crimp as you’d like. Crinkle a piece of parchment, then straighten it and place it over the crust. Fill with pie weights or dried beans and bake until the edges start to brown, 20 minutes. Remove parchment/weights, knock the temperature down to 350°, and bake until golden, 20-25 more minutes. Remove from the oven and brush the bottom with egg white (this helps it seal and leads to a land of no soggy bottoms). Bake for another 5-10 minutes, until you reach a nice golden brown. Reserve any leftover egg white.
For the filling, you need:
- 3 eggs
- 1 egg yolk
- 15 oz can of pumpkin
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp rye whiskey
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
- Small pinch of ground cloves
- 8 tbsp light brown sugar
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 1 1/4 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1 1/2 cups whole pecans
- 1 tbsp maple syrup (The real thing. No faking)
Combine the eggs, pumpkin, cream, sugar, spices, 6 tbsp brown sugar, 2 tbsp butter, and 1/4 tsp salt. Blend with an immersion blender or regular blender until smooth. Don’t over-mix and pump air into it. Pour into the crust and bake until puffed and almost set, 40-45 minutes. You should still have a slight jiggle in the center when lightly shaken. Just before this step is done, toast the pecans until fragrant and a bit darkened (8 minutes). Whisk the rest of the egg white, 2 tbsp brown sugar, and 3/4 tsp salt until foamy. Add syrup and 1 tbsp butter, then whisk just until they are mixed. Toss the pecans to coat. Take the pie out of the oven, and top with the pecans (let excess egg mixture drip off before topping). Finish baking until the filling is set (tester will come out clean) and nuts are no longer tacky to the touch, about 8 minutes. Let cool on a rack for at least 2 hours.
Seriously, the best of both worlds. The pecans are a great contrast to the usual pumpkin custard that usually gets boring about 2 bites in. Give it a whirl. And maybe scatter the pecans a little more… artistically than I did…
*sc
singing.chef. 