Blueberry Nectarine Pie

In my last post I said, "God is good, pie is great." I said it as a joke.

But I have since come to the startling realization that I think far more about pie than I do about God.

I don't know what this indicates.

I had my existential crisis at age 13. It's not an experience I hope to repeat any time soon. (The crisis part was mostly contemplating my existence and the lack of godly presence in my life while trying to fall asleep on a bed covered with stuffed animals.)

Thinking about God so much was decidedly uncomfortable and slowly drove me crazy: God is so twisty and fickle and unknowable and impossible to understand. The concept of God is too BIG.

Eventually I gave up trying to decide if there was some greater force in the universe.

So I focus on the particulars in life: the smell of wet earth after a summer rain, comfortable shoes, the color blue, flowers, and blueberry nectarine pie.

Blueberry pie is my favorite. It's even better with a few nectarines.

It's simple. Delicious. Wonderful.

It's good slightly warm.

It's even better chilled.

When you pair it with vanilla ice cream it's even better.

This blueberry pie is thick and berry juice-gooey. In a word: perfect.

Double-Crusted Blueberry Pie*

from Baking:From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan

1 recipe Best Pie Crust (see previous post), chilled

2 1/2 pints fresh blueberries

3 nectarines

1 cup sugar, or a bit more to taste, plus more for dusting

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

pinch of slat

coarsely gated zest of 1/2 lemon

squirt of fresh lemon juice, or a little more to taste

1 large egg, beaten with 1 teaspoon water, for egg wash

sugar for dusting

Butter a 9-inch pie plate. On a well floured surface

Working on a well-floured surface (or between wax paper or plastic wrap), roll out once piece of the dough to a thickeness of about 1/8 inch (Not to be precise or anything.)Fit the dough into the buttered pie plate and trim the edges to a 1/2 inch overhang. Roll the other piece of dough into a 1/8 inch circle and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone mat. Cover both circle and pie plate with plastic wrap and refrigerate while you preheat oven and prepare filling. **

Position rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat oven to 425 F.

Put berries in a large bowl and gently stir in the sugar, flour, salt, zest and juice. Let sit for about 5 minutes. Taste filling and add more sugar of lemon juice if need.

Remove pie shell and top crust from fridge. Give filling a final stir and turn into crust.

Using fingertips, moisten the rim of the bottom crust with a little cold water. Center the top crust over the filling and gently press the top crust against the bottom. Either fold the overhang fromt eh top crust under the bottom crust and crimp edges attractively or press the top crust against bottom crust and trim the overhang from both crusts even with the rim of the pie plate. If you've pressed and trimmed the crust, use the tines of a fork to press the two crusts together securely. Using a small sharp knife, cut 4 slits in teh top crust and circle out of the center.*** (If you have time, refrigerate the pie for about 30 minutes. The pie can also be wrapped airtight and frozen for up to 2 months. Glaze and sugar it before you put it in the oven and add least 15 mintues to the baking time.)****

Brush the top crust with the egg wash, then sprinkle the crust with the egg wash, then sprinkle with a little sugar, to give it sparkle.

Bake pie for 30 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375 F. And bake the pie for another 30 minutes or so, (total baking time is about 1 hour), or until the crust is a beautiful golden brown and filling is bubbling up through the slits. If the crust seems to be browning too quickly, make a loose foil tent for the pie.

Transfer pie to rack and let it cool-and settle- for at least 30 minutes before serving.

*I added about 3 nectarines to the blueberry mixture, to be extra special.

**Because I want pie NOW I skip this step, by putting the pie dough in the freezer for about 20 minutes before I roll it out.

*** You can also cut lots of decorative slits in the top crust if you are so inclined. Get decorative and creative.

****I also skip the extra refrigeration. I want pie NOW.

Best Pie Crust

God is good, but pie is great.

I made my first lattice crust ever.

Pie. Oh my.
It's all I've been able to think about. All I want to eat.

Last night I had pie for dinner, and this morning I had pie for breakfast. I crave pie. Pie. Pie. Pie.

It's my soul mate dessert.

Have you ever had a moment when you startled yourself? A moment when you sang a note you didn't think you could sing, or followed through with a goal you didn't think you would accomplish, or run three miles when the thought of even standing up makes you want to sit down? And then you just do it and you suprise yourself, and say, "I didn't know I could do that."

This pie crust will have that effect on you. Pie crust has a reputation for being difficult. Which is, if you ask me, unfair. Pie crust is very easy. Especially with this precious recipe. It's called Making Magic In the Food Processor. While many people probably consider using a food processor sacriledge, even Julia Child was a food processor adhererant. The goddess of simple baking, Dorie Greenspan loves the food processor. Basically the only fabulous bakers who don't use a food processor are the amish... and other people who wear suspenders.

I'll get back to you on what to do with this fabulous pie crust very, very soon.

xoxo.

Basic Pie Crust from BAKED

1 cup (2 sticks) butter

3 cups flour

1 Tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup water

In a food processor whirl together the flour, sugar and salt. Cut the VERY COLD BUTTER into small pieces and blend until the mixture forms into pea-sized chunks. Dribble in water and whirl until dough just comes together.

Take dough out of processor and knead until dough comes together. Divide into two, wrap in plastic wrap and place in freezer for one hour before using.

Baked Butter-Pecan French Toast with Blueberry Syrup

There are two kinds of people in the world: Those who love breakfast.

And those who don't.

I was anti-breakfast for most of my childhood.

Unless it involved doughnuts.

You see, I was an egg-hater for a very, very long time. I just couldn't abide eggs. The way they smelled. Or the way they looked or the way they tasted or that weird silky smooth gross texture. For years, I would not, could not eat eggs.

And then one day, not too long ago I overcame my ovaphobia.

Everyday, for the past week, I have eaten an egg for lunch. (Protein!) So miracles really do happen.

Anyway, my egg loathing often made breakfast a contentious issue.

Once I was reduced to eating spaghetti at a brunch.

Not that my ten year old self minded.

But breakfast is an intensely personal meal.

It has to be just so.

That's why I resisted for so long. When going out for breakfast I was always dissatisfied, the pancakes were never as good as they were at home, the doughnuts never as delicious, the syrup fake, the orange juice from concentrate... I'll stop before you go jump off a very tall building. This is just getting worse and worse:

The troubles of living in a wealthy first-world country! When will the suffering end?

Anyway, the real point of the rambling is that I have Come Around To Breakfast If It Is Done Right.

As part of my, "It's for the blog," experimination tactic, I made my favorite cousin drive me to the grocery store at 10 p.m. the night before just so I could make it.

THE CONSENSUS ON THE FIRST BAKED FRENCH TOAST I EVER BAKED:

There are two kinds of people in the world: people who like bread pudding and people who don't.

My family split squarly down the middle when it came to a rating for this Baked Butter-Pecan French Toast and Blueberry Syrup dish . Sure, they all ATE it, but that doesn't neccesaily mean they approved.

My little brother Michael, heartily approved. Michael loves bread pudding. He liked this a lot. He had a second helping. He gives it a **** 1/2 asterick approval rating.

My mom liked it, but ate only one portion, because it was very "filling". I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not. She thought it was good, but found the blueberry syrup overwhelming, and preferred it simply with fresh blueberries and syrup. ****

My littler brother, Jacob, after completely finishing his portion, and practically licking his plate, decided that he didn't like it. I honestly don't even pretend to understand the way his mind works sometime **1/2?

My dad ate it, and, like Jacob, told me, after finishing, that he didn't particularily care for it. He told me he didn't like the texture very much. He doesn't like "breakfasty casserole things." He also doesn't like bread pudding. **

Me?

I had mixed feelings.

I liked it. And I didn't mind eating it. I really liked the pieces around the edge of the pan, which were crisper and more crackly, it was a party in my mouth. I found the blueberry syrup delicious, but thought that it overwhelmed the delicate flavor of the actual french toast. Like my dad, I thought that it was on the unappealing mushy side. And here's the killer. I didn't think the toast without syrup was very attractive. I like food to be pretty. And it just wasn't. *** 1/2

This is not a ringing endorsement of a recipe. But I'm being honest. It was good, but simply one of those things that you either love or despise, or are like me, simply lukewarm about. Give it a go, comment, reflect, tell me about your morning eating experiences, share, kiss, commend, recommend. I'd love to hear your adventures with French Toast.

Baked Butter-Pecan French Toast with Blueberry Syrup

from Gourmet Today

1 (24-inch-long) baguette

6 large eggs

2 cups whole milk

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter

1/4 salt

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 cup pecans lightly toasted at 350 F for about 5 minutes or until deliciously fragrant

For Syrup

1 cup blueberries

1/2 pure maple syrup

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Make the French Toast: Generously butter a 13x9 inch baking dish. Cut twenty 1-inch-thick slices from baguette and arrange in one layer in baking dish.

Whisk toether eggs, milk, 3/4 cup brown sugar, nutmeg and vanilla in a large bowl until well combined and pour evenly over bread. Let bread soak for 10 minutes. Turn slices and cover surface with a large sheet of plastic wrap, leaving a 3-inch overhang on each end of baking dish. If necessary place a smaller dish on top to keep bread submerged. Refrigerate mixture until all liquid is absorbed, at least 8 hours.

Put rack in middle of oven and preheat oven to 350 F.

Combine butter, remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar, salt, and cream in a small saucepan and bring just to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Stir in pecans.

Spoon pecan mixture evenly over bread. Bake until bread is puffed, edges are lightly browned and liquid is absorbed, 40 to 45 minutes.

Meanwhile make syrup: Combine blueberries and maple syrup in a small saucepan and cook over moderate heat until berries burst, about 3 minutes. Stir in lemon juice.

Serve toast with syrup.

Consume. Form lengthy, wordy opinion. Post on internet. Realize that you really spend more time than is healthy thinking about breakfast issues. See therapist.

Classic Banana Bundt Cake

A girl I know, once compared her pet peeves to unruly puppies.

I like to think of my pet peeves as puppies, because it makes them less menacing and more like adorable quirks.

My pet peeves:

1. Needless waste.

2. Moldering bananas, covered in fruit flies, turning dark brown.

3. Not having a good dessert on hand.

4. When my brothers don't put the toilet seat down.

Ahem.

I'm sure you really don't care about my pet peeves. But #2 really, really bothers me. And I hate wasting things(see #1).

What does this mean?

It means I'm OCD about wasting bananas. I'm that person who freezes the poor, ancient bananas for future smoothies.

I will not.

Will. Not. Throw. Away. Bananas.

So I turn those unloved, ugly bananas into something delicious.

The only problem is, most banana bread/cake recipes only call for maybe one or two bananas. What do you do if you have 4 or 5 overripe bananas?

You make this cake. It has 4 bananas in it.

Because this is a cake, and not pretentious health food, I added chocolate chips.

Which made me very happy. Even better, this cake improves with age. It's best a day or two after baking. This cake ripens. Like a banana.

And my pet peeves? When I made this cake, they curled up in little adorable balls and took a nap.

(Except for #4. Ahem.)

Classic Banana Bundt Cake

from Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 stcks unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 cups sugar

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

2 large, preferably at room temperature

About 4 very ripe bananas, mashed (you should have 1 1/2 - 1 3/4 cups)

1 cup sour cream or plain yogurt

Center rack in oven and preheat to 350 F.

Generously butter a 9 to 10 inch (12 cup) bundt pan. Don't place the pan on a baking sheet- you want the oven's heat to circulate through the Bundt's inner tube.

Whisk flour, baking soda and salt together.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably with paddle attachment, or with a handmixer and large bowl, beat butter until creamy. Add sugar and beat on medium speed until pale and fluffy. Beat in vanilla, then add eggs, one at a time, beating for about a minute after each egg goes in. Reduce the mixer speed to low and mix in the bananas. Finally, mix in half the dry ingredients (don't worry if batter curdles), all the sour cream and then the rest of the flour mixture. Scrape the batter into the pan, rap the pan on the counter to rebubble the batter and smooth the top.

Bake fro 65 to 75 minutes, or until a thin knife inserted deep into the center of the cake comes out clean. Check the cake after about 30 mintues- if it's browing too quickly, cover it loosely with a foil tent. Transfer the cake to a racka dn cool for 10 minutes before unmolding onto a rack to cool to room temperature.

If you've got the time, wrap the cooled cake in plastic and allow it to sit on the counter overnight before serving, it's better the next day.

p.s. I've decided that Dorie Greenspan cures all ills. When in doubt, turn to Dorie. She always has an answer.

Vanilla Cup Custards

You might think that the humble vanilla custard is nothing to write home about.

You're wrong.

Vanilla custard is divine. It's homey. It's comfort food.

It reminds me of my grandmother, in her kitchen, late at night, with all the lights on, laughing comfortably and eating this custard.

It reminds me of my mother.

This custard is home.

Vanilla Cup Custards

From Gourmet Today

3 cups whole milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract or 1 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise

3 large eggs

3 large egg yolks

3/4 cup sugar

pinch of salt

freshly grated nutmeg

equipment: eight 6-ounce ramekins or custard cups.

Put rack in middle of oven and preheat oven to 325 F.

Pour milk into a 1 quart heavy saucepan. If using vanilla bean, scrape seeds into milk and add pod. Bring milk to a simmer, then remove from heat. If using vanilla bean, let milk mixture steep for five minutes.

Whisk together eggs, yolks, sugar, salt and vanilla extract, if using, in a medium bowl. Add hot milk in a slow stream, whisking. Pour through a fine meshed sieve into a 1 quart glass measure or a bowl with pour spout. Skim off any foam with a spoon.

Divide misture among custard cups and sprinkle with nutmeg to taste. Arrange custard cups in a small roasting pan. Put pan in oven, add enough boiling water to pan to reach halfway up sides of cups and loosely cover pan with foil. Bake custards until just set around edges but still wobbly in center, 35 to 40 minutes. Transfer custard cups to a rack. Serve warm or chilled.

Lisa's Morning Glory Muffins

FACT: Muffins can actually be healthy.

My problem with most muffins is that they're dessert masquerading as healthful breakfast food.

But Lisa got it right. Lisa is one of my favorite people. She's extremely friendly and kind and amazing, and even though I haven't known her and her family for very long, they feel like old family friends.

Lisa has seen me at my best and at my worst, my worst being when I am very, very, very hungry.

These muffins will cure hunger pangs, they will make strangers friends, they are good bribes, and they are guilt free.

CAN YOU BELIEVE IT! GUILT FREE BAKED GOODS! CALL THE PRESS! I MEAN THESE PUPPIES ARE ACTUALLY HEALTHY!

Seriously.

They're that wonderful.

I made over 24 muffins, and they all dissappeared within two days. Two days. That's a lot of delicious.

(Handy tip that will make muffin making actually enjoyable: use an ice cream scoop. Stroke of genius.)

Lisa's Morning Glory Muffins

Yield: 18 or more, depending on how biggish your muffin cups are and how much you fill them.

1 cup white flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup oat bran

1 1/2 cups sugar+ some for sprinkling

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups grated carrot (about 3 carrots)

2 cups grated zucchini (about 2 zucchini)

1 cup "Craisins"

1 cup slivered almonds

1 cup sweetened shredded coconut

2 green apples, grated

3 eggs

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoons vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease muffin cups or use muffin tin liners.

Mix the flours, oats, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.

Stir in oil, eggs buttermilk, and vanilla.

Stir in the carrot, zucchini, almonds, raisins, coconut, and apples.

Spoon the batter into greased or lined cups.

Sprinkle with sugar.

Bake for 12 to 18 minutes or until springy to the touch. (The muffins needed 18 minutes, the loaves actually needed about 25 minutes

Let muffins cool in tins and turn them onto a wire rack.

Falafel

I had my first taste of falafel in Paris, France exactly a year ago.

I thought I had died and gone to heaven.

Here is the thing, there is only ONE PLACE in the WORLD to get killer falafel. To get that amazing falafel, you have to go to Paris, France. To a place called Las Du Falafel.

The falafel there is so good that the restaurant has a cult following.

No joke.

Let me tell you, everything just has gone downhill since that falafel in Paris. Thinking about it makes me weep a little inside. It was that good.

Since last year, I haven't had really good falafel. Until now.*

For the uninitiated, falafel is just absolutely splendid stuff: garbanzo beans that have been ground and molded into balls or pancakes, that are then lightly fried.

What could be better?

You stuff the falafel in some pita bread, with some tomato and lettuce and sour cream and hummus. And then... You eat it. And you die and go to heaven.

Now you don't even have to go to Paris. Bummer, I know.

*Just for the record, my mom and little brother Jacob actually made this, and my other brother Michael took one of the pictures. They're a talented bunch.

Falafel

from Epicurious.com

• 1 cup dried chickpeas
• 1/2 large onion, roughly chopped (about 1 cup)
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2-1 teaspoon dried hot red pepper
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 4-6 tablespoons flour
• Soybean or vegetable oil for frying
• Chopped tomato for garnish
• Diced onion for garnish
• Diced green bell pepper for garnish
• Tahina sauce
• Pita bread

1. Put the chickpeas in a large bowl and add enough cold water to cover them by at least 2 inches. Let soak overnight, then drain. Or use canned chickpeas, drained.

2. Place the drained, uncooked chickpeas and the onions in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add the parsley, cilantro, salt, hot pepper, garlic, and cumin. Process until blended but not pureed.

3. Sprinkle in the baking powder and 4 tablespoons of the flour, and pulse. You want to add enough bulgur or flour so that the dough forms a small ball and no longer sticks to your hands. Turn into a bowl and refrigerate, covered, for several hours.

4. Form the chickpea mixture into balls about the size of walnuts, or use a falafel scoop, available in Middle-Eastern markets.

5. Heat 3 inches of oil to 375 degrees in a deep pot or wok and fry 1 ball to test. If it falls apart, add a little flour. Then fry about 6 balls at once for a few minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Stuff half a pita with falafel balls, chopped tomatoes, onion, green pepper, and pickled turnips. Drizzle with tahina thinned with water.

NOTE: Egyptians omit the cilantro and substitute fava beans for the chickpeas.