The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook - Martha Stewart Living Magazine [300]
7. Set pies under broiler until tops are browned, 30 seconds to 1 minute.
pear–sour cherry flat pie
MAKES ONE 7½ × 10-INCH
DOUBLE-CRUST PIE
All-purpose flour, for work surface
14 ounces best-quality frozen puff pastry (such as Dufour), thawed
3 small or 2 medium Bartlett pears (about 1 pound 2 ounces), peeled, halved, cored, and cut into ¼-inch slices
2 ounces dried sour cherries
1/3 cup sugar, plus more for sprinkling
4 teaspoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Five-spice powder
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. On a lightly floured surface, unfold the dough, and roll out to 10 × 15 inches. Cut into two 7½ × 10-inch rectangles. Place on baking sheets; refrigerate until cold.
2. Stir pears, cherries, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and 1/8 teaspoon each of salt, pepper, and spice powder in a bowl.
3. Transfer 1 rectangle of dough to a baking sheet lined with parchment. Spoon fruit mixture onto dough, leaving a 1-inch border all around. Brush border with beaten egg. Lay remaining dough over filling; press gently to seal. Refrigerate 20 minutes. Transfer to a room-temperature rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment.
4. Trim edges, and brush top with beaten egg. Cut five 5-inch vents in top. Sprinkle with sugar. Bake, rotating once, until crust is golden and juices are bubbling, about 35 minutes. Transfer the pie to a wire rack; let cool 20 minutes before serving.
yogurt-plum pie
MAKES ONE 9-INCH PIE
Graham Crust (recipe follows)
2 cups whole-milk Greek yogurt
½ vanilla bean, seeds scraped and reserved
½ teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted
4 large egg yolks
1 cup sugar
¼ cup all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup Plum-Vanilla Jam (recipe follows) or best-quality store-bought plum jam
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Press crust mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie plate. Freeze 15 minutes. Cover edge with foil. Bake until beginning to dry out, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely. (Leave oven on.)
2. Stir yogurt, vanilla seeds, and zest in a bowl. Stir in butter and yolks. Stir sugar, flour, and salt in a bowl; stir into yogurt mixture until smooth. Pour into crust.
3. Bake, with foil covering edge of crust, until just set in center, 45 to 55 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool 1 hour. Spread jam over center of pie. Refrigerate at least 3 hours (up to overnight).
graham crust
MAKES ENOUGH FOR ONE
9- OR 10-INCH PIE
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup whole-wheat flour
3 tablespoons wheat germ
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup packed light-brown sugar
Pulse the flours, wheat germ, salt, and cinnamon in a food processor to combine. Add the butter and sugar; process until dough just holds together. Use immediately.
plum-vanilla jam
MAKES 1¾ CUPS
1½ pounds red plums, halved, pitted, and coarsely chopped
1½ cups sugar
3 strips (2½ inches) lemon zest, plus 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Pinch of salt
½ vanilla bean, seeds scraped and reserved
Bring all ingredients to a boil in a large stockpot, mashing with a potato masher. Cook, stirring frequently, until mixture is the consistency of very thick honey, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove plum skin if desired. Discard vanilla bean and zest. Do not strain; jam should be chunky. Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 1 month.
pithiviers
MAKES ONE 9-INCH TART
This classic tart, essentially a frangipane filling enclosed between two layers of puff pastry, is named for the French town in which it was created. We recommend using an insulated baking sheet instead of a regular baking sheet to prevent the bottom of the pastry from getting too browned during baking.
2/3 cup whole blanched