Preserving with PIE



ONE WORD TO DESCRIBE HAPPINESS...

          

             PIE 

I like PIE, do you like PIE?

Yes, I like PIE, do like PIE?

I like PIE, He likes Pie and She Likes Pie

WE ALL LIKE PIE.......

This is my husband's pie song that gets sung in our house anytime I mention I may make a pie.

Pie is special. Pie is good. Everyone likes pie.

What you may have not thought of is that pie can be part of your preserving strategy. Que?

I don't know why it never occurred to me to preserve with pie, but in a recent conversation with my mother she mentioned that she often makes pies in the summer and just places the entire thing, not baked into the freezer. She said she often then pulls them out anywhere from six months to a year and has never had a problem with this. It saves her a tremendous time during the holidays to know that the pies are all done and ready to be put in the oven at a moment's notice... 

...and I can attest that my mother makes damn good pies...

So, when you've finished with all the jellies and jams your family will hope to eat... and all the fresh fruit that you've put into jars, make a few pies with the remainder.. come the holidays or that random weekday or snowy weekend, you'll be glad you did.

Basic Two Crust Pie Dough

      from my 1982 Betty Crocker Cookbook

1 cup shortening (I like butter flavored)

2 2/3 cups all purpose flour (or pastry flour)

1 tsp salt

7-8 Tbsp cold water

Pie crust is basically the same regardless of what recipe you use. Its a simple four part ingredient recipe that includes the flour, a fat and salt to taste. Water finishes it up to bind it.

In a mixer put in your flour, salt and fat. Mix until it resembles peas. Put in just enough water to make the pastry pull away from the sides. Take it out and put it in the refrigerator for about 30 mins.

Cut the pastry in half and roll out the dough to fit the bottom of the pan. Transfer the dough to the pan by rolling a portion of it over your rolling pin and gently placing in the pie plate. poke holes in the dough with a fork.

Fill with your filling of choice. If you are making a cream filling, then you would make that at the time of cooking as they don't freeze well. With berries or fruit you can put those together now.  Your basic fruit recipe is as follows:

Poke holes in
pie bottom to prevent it from getting soggy with
fruit juices.

Fresh Fruit Recipe:

1 to 1 1/2 cup sugar (to your taste)

Fresh Fruit

1 tsp extract flavoring of choice
(rum, vanilla, butter, nut are basic choices)

Spice of choice

Butter











Don't forget to dot with butter.

Fill your bottom pie crust and do not forget to add the butter as that will help your pie taste delicious and help to bind the filling. Add your top crust and make sure to cut slits in it to allow the steam to rise from your baking fruit. Now simply wrap well with tin foil and make sure to label it well. Your pies will taste extra fresh because you created them when your fruit was at the peak of freshness. Happy Pie Day Everyone!



 

Don't do an egg wash or milk wash until you get it out
and are ready to bake pie. Seal tight and it could
last as long as a year.

**UPDATE: We ate these pies this weekend, yes you read that, almost a full year from when I original made them. I can vouch for the fact that they tasted as good as the day I made them! So, when you are completely out of ideas for how to preserve that last bit of fruit and you are sick to death of making jam and jelly, consider pie. You'll be so glad when the holiday season comes and your dessert is waiting in the freezer just ready to pop into the oven!