"I Like Pie" Pie

Blurting out "I like pie," with a high-pitched tone and a goofy grin has become a bit of family joke over the years. The phrase is referencing a Mystery Science Theatre episode dubbing over "Time Chasers"(click here and fast forward to the time 5:14 to see).  Somehow this joke continues to make me giggle, although I'm still not completely sure I understand why...  

Because in truth, I really do like pie!  

Goofy smile in tact, I want to share with you a pie recipe that I recently made.  I hope that I can encourage other pie enthusiasts out there (you know you are one of them!) to try swapping sugary fillings for herbed-veggies and cheese, thus giving the beloved stuffed-crust delicacy a deserved place at the dining table, in addition to dessert. 

As we all know, a perfect pie starts with perfect crust. This recipe called for cream cheese as a main ingredient, with no eggs.  I was curious to see what the texture would turn out like, and to my surprise, I couldn't tell the difference from other butter and egg heavy crust recipes.  The cream cheese produced moist and pliable dough, with a baked finish that was golden and flaky.  I had to delicately roll out my crust to an extremely thinness to cover my pan's surfaces, so I would encourage you to make a bit extra to prevent handling such paper-thin pieces of dough.  Plus, who doesn't love extra dough to nibble on?  Note: My favorite thing to do to use up extra dough trimmings is to recombine them to make small pockets stuffed with jam and dusted with sugar. Just remember to take them out of the oven after about 15 minutes... such a treat to snack on while waiting for its bigger pie part to finish baking!

Matching dough bowl and lid.

While the crust is refrigerating, start preparing the filling. Cooked cabbage seasoned with herbs is so versatile. Add whatever spices entice you at the moment, fresh or dried. The recipe (seen below) called for dill, which I did not have, so I substituted more basil. I can also imagine playing with different combinations of cheeses and veggies. For example, mushrooms can be substituted for carrots and spinach for cabbage... or try purple cabbage or onions for color enhancement. Boiled eggs not only add a quality protein source, but a beautiful stratification of colors to the taster.

Assembling the pie with a layer of crust, then a layer of 1/2 block cream cheese, seasonings, sliced boiled eggs, cooked veggies, and more seasonings.  Don't be shy with salt and pepper either!  Fix the lid by kneading the edges together and cut a few lines into the top of the crust to allow an escape for steam.  Your savory pie is now oven-ready.

For an extra BANG, brush the top of your crust with a bit of
beaten egg and sprinkling of sea salt. 

Once the baking timer goes off, allow your pie to cool slightly before cutting in. Once you do, I think you will be pleasantly surprised at how wonderful pie can be as a savory dish.  It may be a bit of a surprise to fellow tasters when the severed crust reveals cabbage and carrots!  However, after a slice or two,  everyone will be beaming, "I like pie" for dinner too!

"I Like Pie" Pie
Adapted from "The Vegetarian Epicure"
Serves 4-6

Crust:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
4 oz. softened cream cheese
3 Tbsp. butter

Filling:
1/2 head cabbage, shredded
2 carrots, thinly sliced
1 yellow onion, thinly sliced or chopped
1 Tbsp. dried basil
1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon
1/2 Tbsp. salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
3 Tbsp. butter or oil
4 oz. cream cheese
4-5 boiled eggs, sliced

Make the crust by sifting together the dry ingredients, cutting in the cold butter and working it together with the softened cream cheese. Roll out 2/3 of the pastry and line a 9-inch pie dish or baking pan, leaving at least 1/2 inch to hang over the edges. Roll out the remaining crust to make a circle large enough to cover the dish. Chill for at least 20 minutes.

Wash and cut the vegetables as specified above. In a large skillet, melt about 2 Tbsp. butter. Add the onion, cabbage, and carrots. Saute over medium heat several minutes until softened, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking and burning. Add seasonings, adjusting salt and pepper as desired, stirring to mix well. When the cabbage is soft wilted and soft, remove from heat and set aside.

Remove crust from the refrigerator. Spread the remaining cream cheese to cover the bottom of the pie shell.  Arrange the boiled egg slices over the cheese. Sprinkle them more spices if desired. Cover with cooked cabbage mixture. Season with salt and pepper to taste and cover with the remaining dough. Press the pastry together tightly at the edges (adding some neat fluting if you prefer)! Cut a few short slashes through the top crust.

Bake in a preheated 400 degree F oven for 15 minutes, then turn the heat down to 350 degrees and continue to bake for another 20-25 minutes, or until the curst is light brown.  Cool slightly before slicing.  Enjoy!

Note: If you want to see a traditional dessert pie that I recently made, click here.  So many possibilities for filling two layers of crust!