Help me fellow SE members... a bizarre request awaits...
Alright, maybe the title was a bit overly-dramatic, but it got you here didn't it?
My fiance and I are making dinner tomorrow night. I've settled on making some braised bbq pork tacos but I just got a call from her and she informed me that she wants to make a pie from scratch because she's never done it before. Obviously, if there's one thing this website is not short on, it's pie recipes. So I ask you all to help a man out, what, if any, kind of pie would be easy to make for a first-timer and follow well after pork tacos!?!
Thank you all.
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19 Comments:
Seasonal easy favs are apple and pumpkin. Pumpkin recipe is on the can. Apple is a personal thing and is good to test how to make a crust. I am a half shortening and half butter crust person. This is a good time to run out or go to Amazon and order her a copy of the Joy of Cooking.
JerzeeTomato at 4:34PM on 11/21/08
HAHA! a tiny bit of drama, and YES it sucked me right in.
When you say from scratch, does she want to make the pastry too? Because, I think for a first-timer, a pillsbury crust would be completely acceptable. The easiest pie in the world, in my opinion, is a pecan pie. The recipe is right on the corn syrup bottle and bbq pork and southern pecan pie certainly go hand in hand for me.
carolrsfMISSESTEXAS at 4:35PM on 11/21/08
chocolate cream pie
gram cracker crust , original or chocolate
2 boxes chocolate pudding, instant or regular
whipped cream
small chocolate bar for chocolate curls
make pudding and pour into crust, put in fridge to set and chill
put cream on top and with a veggie peeler make curls and sprinkle on top.
unbutton pants and enjoy.
dearrie at 4:35PM on 11/21/08
What the...
pie goes after EVERYTHING! Sheesh.
Seriously, though, pumpkin always seems pretty easy. Especially if you go for the graham cracker crust.
jpolk at 4:43PM on 11/21/08
Pillsbury crust (totally acceptable product in my mind) and pumpkin pie off the Libby's or Stokley's can - or here, let me make it easy -
1 can pumpkin (14.5 oz size I think - I am Canadian so oz's are lost on me!)
3/4 cup sugar
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t ginger
1/4 t cloves
2 eggs
1 can evaporated milk (I use low fat and I find it makes no difference and I am not a low fat kinda girl)
Buzz it in a food processor. Pour into crust. Bake at 425 for 15 minutes, then 30 to 45 minutes at 350 until cooked. Serve with whipped cream!
Maureen at 5:14PM on 11/21/08
I like apple pie, too. It goes with everything. By the way, Gourmet.com has two new videos today about how to make and roll out traditional pie pastry. For those who've never done it before, it's good instruction.
rochellefeil at 5:56PM on 11/21/08
Just to be clear.
I love that I am able to say that I can make a really good, tender and flaky pie crust. Because I have. And it was.
Been there, mastered that.
Now, I always use the refrigerated, rolled up Pillsbury pie crusts. They are awesome. They're always in my freezer.
carolrsfMISSESTEXAS at 6:27PM on 11/21/08
I think this lime pie would be great after bbq pork tacos. It's from Rick Bayless, and I thought it made a delicious tangy, light, not-too-sweet filling. It's not the same as key lime pie, I think it's tangier because of the Mexican crema. I've also made it without the Cointreau, which was still very good.
It's definitely very easy, and different from the conventional pies of the season, which might be too rich or too heavily spiced after your particular meal.
Pay de limon
1 blind-baked 9-10-in. pie crust (your choice here)
3 large eggs at room temperature
1.5 tbs. grated lime zest
2/3 c. sugar
3 tbs. flour
1 c. plus 2 tbs. room-temperature crema (Bayless also says you can substitute creme fraiche, and if you can't find either of those, try sour cream)
6 tbs. lime juice
6 tbs. orange juice
1.5 tbs cointreau
Preheat oven to 350.
Beat the eggs in a large bowl with the lime zest, sugar, and flour until thoroughly mixed. Stir in the crema, lime juice, orange juice, and cointreau, if using.
Pour into the pre-baked pie shell and bake until just set in the center, about 45 minutes.
Serve with mango or other fruit sauce
renzata at 7:33PM on 11/21/08
@renzata, is that the crema in the can? I've always wanted to use that in something.
Your pie sounds delish, I'll have to make it now.
carolrsfMISSESTEXAS at 8:24PM on 11/21/08
It's not what you find in the baking aisle, if that's what you mean. I find it in the dairy section, usually with all the other Mexican dairy products. The one I see most often comes in a small plastic container (like a pint jug of milk), white, with green and/or yellow lettering.
renzata at 8:33PM on 11/21/08
My suggestion is if this is a first time making a pie, focus on one component from scratch and get help on the other.
For example, make the crust from scratch and make a pumpkin pie filling from a can or a custard/pudding filling from a box.
Or use a premade crust (frozen or crumb crust) and make a filling (pecan perhaps?) from scratch.
The pie purists are going to hate me for this.
Might I suggest apple pie with dulce de leche served at the table (you can find it in the ethnic aisle with the mexican/spanish foods)
ag3208 at 8:41PM on 11/21/08
@ag3208. OMG I never thought of Dulce de Leche w/apple pie. I repeat, OMG. That sounds so utterly delicious.
That is also what you make out of the can of sweetened condensed milk.
And, it seems as though we're not pie purists at all...
carolrsfMISSESTEXAS at 9:37PM on 11/21/08
I agree with all the suggestions of using those already made crusts (either found in the freezer or in the cake/flour aisle). So easy and tasty and less stress. This is called Key Lime but I use regular limes and think they're very good (and a lot easier to get the juice out of!).
Key Lime Pie
1 (9") crust (ready to serve) (Keebler shortbread or graham crackercrust)
Filling:
3 egg yolks
1/2 tsp lime zest (grated very fine)
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (about 6 regular limes)
Topping:
1/2 pint heavy whipping cream, chilled
1/2 tsp vanilla sugar or vanilla extract
1 T confectioners' sugar (or more, to taste)
In electric mixer with whisk attached, beat the egg yolks and lime zest at a high speed until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Gradually add condensed milk and continue to beat until thick, 3-4 minutes. Lower speed and slowly add the lime juice, mixing just until combined, no longer. Pour mixture into the pie crust. Bake for 10 minutes or until the filling has set. Cool on a wire rack, then refrigerate. (Freeze for 15 to 20 minutes before adding whipped cream and serving).
Topping: Whip the cream and the sugars until nearly stiff. Spread over pie. Serve.
annzee at 10:33PM on 11/21/08
What i do when I make pie crusts is I buy my favorite cookies of the day, vanilla wafers or graham crackers or oreos, whatever, I crush them up and mix in the some melted butter and smoosh it into the bottom of the pie pan. It's not original but it allows me to cheat and have an easy way to make pie crust without feeling like all I did was buy it and roll it out.
blankplate at 10:41PM on 11/21/08
You have some fantastic pie recipes here but I want to address the crust. I have not tried a frozen crust that has come near a scratch crust. The trick to good scratch pie crust is to work it while it's very cold and NOT to overwork it. The crust, when rolled out, is not supposed to be homogenous in color. You should still see pearls of butter through it. The perfect pie crust has both butter (for flavor) and shortening (for flakiness). I think pie crust is probably the ONLY food where I continue to include shortening. If you like, you could roll out a pie crust and do a "free form" tart-ish type thing using some of the fruit suggestions you have above. Not nearly as fussy as a perfect-in-the-pie-pan pie but just as delicious!
A graham or oreo + butter crust is definitely an easy way out but I generally use those for cheesecake.
Another cool use of pie crust is apple dumplings. Roll out your pie crust and cut into large squares. Peel and core a large Gala apple, stuff the vacant core with raisins, brown sugar and walnuts (not much will fit but it's a nice surprise); then wrap each apple in the pie crust. Brush with egg yolk mixed with cream and dust with turbinado sugar. I don't have it in front of me but the Rose Levy Beranbaum version of apple dumplings is the one I use most often. While you're at it, if you can find her cheddar cheese pie crust, it's a winner for any apple-based pie.
therealchiffonade at 8:08AM on 11/22/08
There are dozens of pies that appeal to me right now. I wanted to vote for the pecan, "settle" for the simple to assemble cream pie with pre-made crust and pudding mix... The more I thought about your entree, tacos, the more I wanted to pair with something that seems south-of-the-border. The most typical dessert there is flan and the closest pie would be custard. Not that tough an assignment if you use a pre-made crust and follow directions well. Water bath almost always insures success with this easy pie to put together. A little caramel sauce and dollap of crema at service makes you a gourmet...
czken at 11:45AM on 11/22/08
Key Lime Pie! No cooking involved!
2/3 cup Key Lime juice (In the fruit juice section of the grocery store)
1 pkt. unflavored gelatin (Knox)
8 oz Cool Whip (thawed, but cold)
8 oz sour cream
1 can Sweetened condensed milk
1 graham cracker pie crust
1. Whip together the sour cream, condensed milk, and Cool whip
2.Mix together the gelatin and key lime juice, quickly.
3 Add gelatin mix to sour cream mix, whip together.
4. Pour mixture into pie crust, and chill overnight, or at least 4 hours.
Let me know if you liked it!
1stmakearoux at 9:19PM on 11/22/08
I've made a really yummy peanut butter ice cream pie that uses a brownie crust (yes, decadent and totally delicious). I make a batch of brownies and then cool them, smoosh them with melted butter in bottom of pie plate and up the sides. Then you mix a good vanilla bean ice cream with creamy or chunky peanut butter. fold that into the brownie crust and let set up in the freezer. Top with homemade whipped cream and chocolate shavings.
juliebugsmama at 1:41PM on 11/24/08
@juliebugsmama
The issue with your idea is that at no point are any of your ingredients inedible or not totally delicious. I'd eat half of what the recipe calls for before I could get the finished product into the freezer! I'm not one for restraint when it comes to brownies, peanut butter and ice cream. :)
Also, how about trying a Banoffee Pie? I know it's a little labor intensive, but totally worth it and incredibly tasty!
http://simmertilldone.com/2008/10/26/you-say-banoffi-i-say-banoffee/
Alyrmc at 1:56PM on 11/24/08