Tag: pie

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Pudding Pi

By Fran Hill

2021 seems like the best year to celebrate the little things, to recognize happiness wherever we find it. Most of us have been through a lot and need joy.

Nobody is better at finding the best silly ways to celebrate than the food obsessed. Every day of the year represents some kind of made-up food holiday. Just in the last few months alone, we have had National Ranch Dressing Day, National Spaghetti Day, National Margarita Day and World Nutella Day. Not to mention entire months dedicated to Oatmeal, Potato Lovers and Celery. The message is clear: food should be fun and appreciated.

Of course, those of us grasping for any reason to celebrate have embraced March 14. 3-14 is recognized worldwide as Pi Day in honor of the mathematical constant and has been lovingly hijacked with its homonym pie. Who doesn’t want to eat pie on Pi Day?

This year, as I look to Pi Day, I am also acknowledging my husband’s love of pudding pies. While I may think of pie as vehicle to highlight amazing seasonal fruit, pudding pies are always his first request. Homemade butterscotch may be tops for him, and when I saw that Martha Stewart paired this luscious amber dessert with a pecan shortbread crust, I was sold. Garnished with candied pecans, this Butterscotch Pie with Pecan Shortbread Crust brings joy to any Pi Day celebration.

Butterscotch Pie with Pecan Shortbread Crust

(adapted from Martha Stewart)

March 14 (3-14) is known as Pi Day in honor of the mathematical constant. Pie lovers celebrate too. A favorite of Fran Hill’s is Butterscotch Pie with Pecan Shortbread Crust.

Crust:

1 cup pecan halves

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg yolk

Filling:

1 cup firmly packed dark-brown sugar

2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

4 large egg yolks

1 2/3 cups whole milk

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

Sugared Pecan Garnish:

48 pecan halves (This is roughly how many you will need to ring the tart pan, but the egg white mixture can easily coat a few more. Do it for snacks and salads.)

2 tablespoons sugar

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 egg white

Crust: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Toast pecans on a rimmed baking sheet until fragrant and golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool 15 minutes, then finely grind in a food processor. Add flour and salt to food processor and pulse just to combine. Add the softened butter and sugar to the food processor and pulse a few more times. Add the egg yolk and process to thoroughly incorporate. Mixture will have a fine crumb texture and hold together when pressed between fingers. Press evenly into bottom and up sides of a round 11-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom.

Freeze pan 15 minutes, then transfer to oven and bake until set and deep golden brown, about 20-25 minutes. (Watch the crust near the end of baking. Mine was probably done at 20 minutes, but I failed to check on it and have a more toasted result … still tasty but would probably have been better with a few less minutes in the oven.) Transfer pan to a wire rack; let cool 15 minutes.

Filling: (Don’t be me. Don’t get ahead of yourself and make the pudding while the crust is chilling. Wait until the crust is baked and cooling. Otherwise, you will be constantly whisking the pudding until the crust is ready to keep it from setting up. Learn from my mistakes.) While the crust is cooling, in a saucepan, whisk together brown sugar, cornstarch and salt. Whisk egg yolks into the milk and whisk this mixture into the dry ingredients. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 1 minute. Remove from heat and whisk in butter. Pour filling into crust and let cool.

Sugared Pecans: Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Whisk sugar, salt and egg white together. Stir in pecans. Spread nuts in an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment. Bake, stirring once (being careful to keep nuts separate and not clump together), until golden brown and crunchy, about 15 minutes. Let cool completely. Garnish pie with sugared pecans. (Extra pecans can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week.) Refrigerate pie until pudding is set, at least 4 hours, but up to 2 days.

To serve pie, remove sides of pan, transfer pie to a platter. Slice and serve. May offer whipped cream with each portion, if desired. It is delicious without, though. (Serves 10-12)

Fran Hill has been blogging about food at On My Plate since October of 2006. She, her husband and their three dogs ranch near Colome.

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A New Thanksgiving Dessert

By Fran Hill

Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and in case you don’t have your menu finalized, I am here to offer yet another dessert option for your meal of gratitude.

Many years ago, my husband introduced me to the concept of a little something salty with the sweet. We can’t enjoy an evening bowl of ice cream without pulling a bag of chips, or at least a sleeve of saltines from the pantry. There is science behind the fact that salt enhances other flavors, but I am not going to attempt to explain that. I am just going to tell you that it tastes good.

Enter Salted Nut Pie. This rich and gooey pecan pie-ish filling is flavored with warm spices and the addition of salted mixed nuts. It is rich and decadent, but there is also just a hint of a salty finish to cut the sweetness. Served with cinnamon ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream, Salted Nut Pie is a delicious ending for the Thanksgiving meal.

Polish off your Thanksgiving meal with a nut pie that’s both salty and sweet.

Salted Nut Pie

(adapted from Real Simple)

1 1/4 cups flour

10 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup ice water

3 eggs

3/4 cup dark brown sugar

1/2 cup light corn syrup

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon ginger

1/8 teaspoon cloves

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 cups salted roasted mixed nuts

flaked salt (optional)

Pulse the flour, butter and salt in a food processor until the mixture resembles coarse meal.

Add 1/3 cup ice water. Pulse until the dough is still crumbly but holds together when squeezed.

Press evenly into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie plate.

Decoratively crimp the edge with a fork or your thumb.

Freeze the piecrust until firm, 30 to 40 minutes.

Heat oven to 375 degrees F.

Beat the eggs with the brown sugar, corn syrup, spices, and vanilla.

Stir in the nuts.

Scrape the filling into the piecrust and place on a rimmed baking sheet.

Bake until the pie is mostly set but still slightly wobbly in the center, 50 to 55 minutes.

Let cool completely.

If desired, sprinkle with a little flaked salt just before serving. (Serves 8)

Fran Hill has been blogging about food at On My Plate since October of 2006. She, her husband and their three dogs ranch near Colome.

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Math Never Tasted So Good

By Fran Hill

3.1415926535897932384626433832795028841971693993751058209749445923078164062862089986 … . It goes on into infinity. The digits never stop, and never repeat. Most simple uses do shorten pi to 3.14, though.

To refresh the memory of those who haven’t been helping kids with math homework, pi is the Greek letter that represents the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter. Regardless of the size of the circle, pi remains the same. It is a constant. In his book, The Joy of Pi, David Blatner claims that no number has captured the attention and imagination of number fanatics and nerds throughout the ages as much as pi. Math geeks love their pi.

In mathematical circles, March 14 (3-14) is often set aside as a day of celebration for the digits of pi. Schools hold trivia contests, pie eating contests, math workouts, poetry contests and other events in honor of pi. 3-14 is Pi Day and a day to promote a little fun within the seriousness of the math world. It is the day that everyone recognizes the honest truth that pi makes things go’round.

In honor of Pi Day, of course, I am going to share a pie recipe with you. I considered sweet and savory options and ultimately a Twitter poll determined that you would like to see a pie that is out of the ordinary (except for the person who voted that they didn’t like pi or pie … sorry, this isn’t for you).

Italian Meat Pie is a savory blend of ground beef, pepperoni and cheeses baked inside a crust that leans toward a modified cracker-thin pizza dough. My husband claims that the meaty filling reminds him of one of the best lasagnas he ever ate. To me, it is more spicy meatloaf. With my meatloaf, I like ketchup or gravy, and I think this meat pie could benefit from a light drizzle of marinara sauce on each serving, but it certainly isn’t necessary. However you slice it, Italian Meat Pie is an unconventional way to celebrate Pi Day or any day you are craving a savory pie.

Italian Meat Pie is a savory blend of ground beef, pepperoni and cheeses baked inside a thin crust.

Italian Meat Pie

(adapted from Handwritten Recipes, a Bookseller’s Collection of Curious and Wonderful Recipes Forgotten Between the Pages)

For the crust:

1 1/4 cup flour

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup warm water

Preheat oven to 350F.

In a food processor, combine flour and salt. Add the oil and pulse a couple of times to form a coarse meal. Turn the processor on and drizzle in water until flour pulls together to form a dough. Turn out on to a lightly floured surface and knead a few times. Cover with a towel and set aside while preparing the filling.

For the filling:

1-2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 pound ground beef

2 tablespoons tomato paste

kosher salt

freshly cracked pepper

6 ounces sliced pepperoni

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

4 eggs, beaten

12 ounces provolone cheese, shredded

Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add the onions and cook until translucent. (Seasoning with a little salt may help the onions wilt more quickly as they cook, but don’t over salt. The pepperoni will add a lot of sodium to the filling.) Stir in the garlic and cook just until fragrant. Add the ground beef and crumble and brown with the aromatics. If your ground beef is not lean, you may want to drain any excess fat after browning. Stir tomato paste into the browned beef. Season with salt (if you haven’t used with the onions) and pepper.

While the onions and beef cook, pulse the pepperoni in a food processor until finely chopped. Add to the browned beef mixture. Stir in the parmesan cheese and beaten eggs. Fold in the shredded provolone until well incorporated.

To assemble:

Divide the pastry dough that has been resting into 2 equal portions. On a lightly floured surface, roll one half out into a roughly 12-inch diameter disk. Press into a 10-inch tart pan with fluted edge and removable bottom. Press the dough up the sides against the scalloped edge. Leave any extra dough that overhangs the edges of the pan (it will be crimped with the top crust).

Spread the filling in the pie crust.

Roll out the second half of the pastry dough to a 10.5-inch diameter and gently place on top of the filling. Fold any extra dough from both top and bottom crusts over to the top and crimp together to seal the pie.

For the topping:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese

freshly cracked black pepper

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

Cut vents in the top pastry dough. Brush crust with olive oil. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and black pepper.

Bake for 55 minutes at 350F. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Remove false bottom. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and slice into 8 wedges.

Extra: May serve with a little marinara sauce spooned over each wedge.

Fran Hill has been blogging about food at On My Plate since October of 2006. She, her husband and their two dogs ranch near Colome.

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Local Experts’ Dining Tips

By Katie Hunhoff

Our readers seem to think that all of us at South Dakota Magazine are experts on every nook and cranny of our state. The truth is, we’re not. But we have friends and readers in every town and city, so we know who to ask about the best place to eat, hike, sightsee or learn about a place’s culture and history.

There’s nothing like a local’s perspective. That’s why we started a special department in every issue that we call”Seven Things I Love About South Dakota.” We ask South Dakotans to share some of their favorite haunts, and we’re always surprised at their suggestions. (See, I told you we aren’t experts!)

Our featured South Dakotans always have a favorite restaurant. Usually it is a little-known mom-and-pop place with a menu special that keeps people coming back. Here are a few favorites that I’m anxious to visit in our 2019 travels.

Veteran journalist Kevin Woster recalled good times at Al’s Oasis when he shared his favorite things about South Dakota.”Whatever leads up to the strawberry pie at Al’s Oasis in Oacoma is good. But it’s the faces and the memories that really fill me up. Al is gone, but I can see him at a table in his red cardigan, chatting with my now-departed mom as she adds half & half to make her coffee golden brown.” Woster grew up on a Lyman County farm and spent several years as a reporter for our state’s largest newspapers.

Architect Tom Hurlbert told us in 2017 about his favorite ice cream stop.”I worked for the Twist Cone in Aberdeen in eighth grade. I didn’t work at the main store, but instead they relegated me to Noah’s Ark, the old concessions building at Storybook Land. I put away about 6 feet of footlongs a week and ate my weight in ice cream. I still enjoy an Italian ice from the Twist Cone, but I lay off the footlongs now.” Hurlbert, co-owner and founder of CO-OP Architecture, lives in Sioux Falls now but he enjoys Twist Cone on summer visits back to Aberdeen.

Black Hills State University history instructor Kelly Kirk grew up in North Dakota, but fell in love with the Black Hills during family vacations. She likes to take friends to breakfast at Cheyenne Crossing in Spearfish Canyon.”The pancakes are fluffy, the skillets are filling and delicious, and the coffee continuously flows. And if you are going to truly enjoy the experience, a side of the frybread or wojapi is a must.”

Ashley Hanson grew up on a farm along Ponca Creek and returned home after attending technical school in Rapid City. She recommended a stop at Stella’s in Burke.”Stella’s has a great, juicy sirloin steak and delicious fried pickles with a little kick. There’s also a patio where live bands play throughout the summer.”

Darla Drew Lerdal, of the Black Hills Playhouse, thinks breakfast at Talley’s Silver Spoon in downtown Rapid City is the best — especially the eggs benedict with salmon.

Sean Dempsey of Dempsey’s Brewery in Watertown is an international pizza competitor, so you may be especially interested in his favorite dining spot. It’s Mama’s Ladas in Sioux Falls.”I love the beautiful simplicity,” he says,”a few choices of enchiladas, red or white sangria and seating for 15 to 25 people.”

We could go on forever, but this should be enough to tempt your palate and your sense of curiosity as you plan your road trips for the new year ahead.

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Walnut Pie Among the Pines

By Bernie Hunhoff

Desperados proprietor Dan Dickey (center) and Carrie Brown serve walnut pie to a hungry diner.

Hear an early-morning clamor in the kitchen of Desperados? Don’t be alarmed. It’s just Connie Heddles, the baker, crushing walnuts for a favorite Southern Hills pie.

“She beats the walnuts with a mallet,” laughs restaurant owner Dan Dickey.”She says she can take out her frustrations while she’s working.”

Not a bad recipe for venting, but Heddles is obviously joking because Desperados is one of those restaurants where everybody ≠– locals, tourists or the staff — seem happy. Dickey and his wife Pat sensed that good energy, at the restaurant and all along Main Street, six years ago when they were looking for a business to buy.

“The town is perfectly located between Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse,” says Dan, who worked as a pension consultant in Minneapolis before he and Pat became enamored with the Southern Black Hills.”But it’s more than that. There’s lots of good leadership in town and everybody is pulling together. It’s been great. This is our sixth season and every year has been a little better.”

Give the walnut pie a slice of the credit. It was devised by Laurel Schaub, the previous owner, and perfected by Heddles over the past several years. The taste is similar to pecan pie, but not as sweet and rich.

Desperados is also gaining a reputation for buffalo.”We only use grass fed buffalo meat from Wild Idea Buffalo Company,” says Dan. Wild Idea is run by well-known Black Hills author Dan O’Brien. Dickey started serving a buffalo roast dinner this summer that quickly became a staple on a big menu with steaks, salads, muleskinner chili dogs and cornbread muffins baked daily by Heddles. The walleye is also popular. Desperados has a special process of seasoning, breading and grilling the fillets.

A creative kitchen keeps customers coming back, but first-timers are often attracted to Desperados by history. The log structure was built of Black Hills pine in 1885 as a saloon and then converted into newspaper offices for the Harney Peak Mining News. It has also served as a book and gun store, fly-fishing headquarters and fix-it shop.

Dickey believes it is the oldest hand-hewn log commercial building in South Dakota. The exterior was charred by disastrous fires that crippled Hill City in 1891 and 1902, so the exterior walls are sided with clapboard. But the old logs create an authentic Old West atmosphere inside. Some of the pines are crooked, the gaps evened by kinking and correction logs. They were kilned from trees killed by mountain pine beetles, again a scourge of the Black Hills.

“They say the trees were still standing when the logs were cut,” Dickey says.”The logger probably liked the bug wood because the tree was already dead, so the logs were lighter and easier to square cut.”

The building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977, more than 25 years before anyone hammered out a walnut pie in the back room. That’s one of the charms of Hill City, population 962. The history just keeps getting better.

Desperados opens daily for lunch and dinner from May through September.

Desperados’ Walnut Pie

12 eggs

4 c sugar

1/2 c flour

4 c corn syrup

8 tbsp melted butter

4 tsp vanilla

1 tsp salt

6-7 cups walnuts

4 pie crusts

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Mix together eggs, sugar, flour, corn syrup, butter and vanilla. Gently place walnuts on crust. Pour sugar mix over walnuts arranging nuts as necessary. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake 35 to 45 minutes. Makes 4 walnut pies.

Editor’s Note: This story is revised from the September/October 2013 issue of South Dakota Magazine. To order a copy or to subscribe, call (800) 456-5117.