The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook - Martha Stewart Living Magazine [291]
5. Cut out 8 5-inch rounds from the dough. Press the rounds into 8 4-inch pie plates; trim excess. With a fork, crimp the edges, and then prick the bottom of the dough all over. Refrigerate 30 minutes.
6. Line each pie shell with parchment paper or foil, and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack. Remove the pie weights and parchment. Let the shells cool completely.
7. Divide the filling among the shells. Bake until a cake tester comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Serve the pies warm with whipped cream dusted with ground cardamom.
pear-fig-walnut pie
MAKES ONE 9-INCH PIE
¾ cup Madeira wine
5 ounces soft, dried black Mission figs (scant 2/3 cup), stemmed and quartered
3 whole star anise
Martha’s Perfect Pâte Brisée (Basics), almost room temperature
All-purpose flour, for dusting
3 pounds ripe Anjou pears, peeled, cored, and cut into ¼-inch-thick wedges
3 ounces walnuts, broken into small pieces (about ¾ cup), toasted and cooled
Juice of 1 lemon
½ cup granulated sugar, plus more for sprinkling (or use sanding sugar)
¼ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 large egg yolk
1 tablespoon heavy cream
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F, with a rack in the lower third. Bring the wine, figs, and star anise to a boil in a small saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer until the figs are softened, 10 to 12 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the figs to a large bowl. Cook the mixture in the pan over medium-high heat until reduced to a syrup, about 3 minutes; discard the star anise. Pour the syrup over the figs.
2. Meanwhile, roll out 1 dough disk on floured parchment to make a 13-inch circle; start with pressure in the center and ease up just before reaching the edges. Drape the dough over the rolling pin; center over a 9-inch glass pie plate, and unroll. Gently push into the plate. Trim to leave a ¼-inch overhang; refrigerate. Roll out the second disk. Cut out a vent with a cookie cutter, and refrigerate the cutout.
3. Add the pears, nuts, lemon juice, sugar, salt, and cornstarch to the figs; stir until well combined. Spoon into the pie plate (pile high in the center). Dot with the butter; lightly brush the rim of the dough with water. Drape the second disk over the pin; center over the filling. Gently press around the filling to fit; trim to leave a ½-inch overhang. Fold the edge of the top crust under the bottom one; crimp to seal. Brush water on the bottom of the cutout; press onto the top crust. Beat the yolk with the cream; brush over the crust. Sprinkle with sugar; freeze until very firm, about 30 minutes.
4. Bake on a baking sheet until just golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Reduce heat to 375°F. Bake, rotating halfway through, until bubbling, and the bottom crust is deep golden brown, about 1 hour. (If the edges brown too quickly, cover with a foil ring.) Let cool on a wire rack.
pumpkin and ricotta crostata
MAKES ONE 10-INCH CROSTATA
1 disk Pasta Frolla (recipe follows)
All-purpose flour, for dusting
Unsalted butter, softened, for pie plate
1 cup ricotta cheese, drained for 30 minutes in a cheesecloth-lined sieve set over a bowl
½ cup mascarpone cheese
1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin
5 tablespoons sugar
¼ teaspoon coarse salt
Heaping ¼ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons pine nuts
1 large egg white, lightly beaten
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bring the pasta frolla to room temperature. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to ¼ inch thick. Transfer to a lightly buttered 10-inch pie plate. Use your fingertips to press the dough against the bottom and sides of the dish until even. Trim the edges; refrigerate the scraps in plastic wrap until step 4.
2. Prick the bottom of the pastry shell all over with a fork. Bake until set and pale golden brown, about 15 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack. With a small knife, trim the edge