Control of the Pies

Los Angeles, California

It's beginning to look a lot like . . . Thanksgiving. Seriously, it is plain damn hard to transition from Kona (weather, clothing & all things tropical) to a cold snap with rain in SoCal. But transition we must, as the holidays are just around the corner.

Recent changes have left us at loose ends for the holidays. Since we moved my mother into her retirement community, which is nearby, the traditions we used to hold have unraveled. We have always celebrated Easter, and Christmas Day at our home. Christmas Eve was at my parents' home until the last five years or so, when it began to be daunting for my mom to manage. So, we began hosting it at our home. We used to go to my sister's, about forty-five minutes south of us, for Thanksgiving.  But my mom's situation necessitates a celebration nearer to her home. And that means our house. This year, however, we are celebrating a day early.

Billy's mom, Shirls, will be coming for a visit. Shirls unwittingly made the mistake of moving to Arizona a few years back, and subsequently realizing it was a mistake. She wants to move back, and we fervently hope she will, but in the meantime, she is flying in to spend Thanksgiving week here in the southland. She is spending Thanksgiving day elsewhere, but is available on Wednesday, so she will be joining us along with my mom, for a Pre-Thanksgiving Dinner on Wednesday night.

I don't mind having PTD (see above) at our home, except that we are now such a small group at the table. My family has dwindled, and Billy's is scattered. I would so love to spend the holiday with friends and fristers, but everyone's plans are in place -- have been in place for decades. So this year, we are pleased to make our merriment at our home, with the moms.

And now, a word about the food. Truth be told, for me there is a secondary gain about hosting Thanksgiving (or PTD, in this case), and that is about being in control of the pies. For many years, as Thanksgiving approached and friends and acquaintances began to talk about their plans, I would immediately ask them what kind of pies they were going to have. Pies are important at Thanksgiving. They loom large in the legend.

In the past, at my sister’s home, we were served pumpkin pie. She also baked little individual mince tarts, which she served with a Grand Marnier sabayon. My sister's pumpkin pie is delicious -- though I’m not much of a pumpkin-custard kind of person. I usually had a small piece, plus a half of a mince tart. And, don't get me wrong, that was lovely. But I fantasized about being in control of the pies. I think that is what hosting Thanksgiving is all about, and is perhaps the only reason anyone ever even considers hosting it. It's about being in control of the pies. In fact, my belief is that this is what Thanksgiving is all about, en toto: pies, and who gets to choose the variety that shows up at your table (and if it's your table, you should be the chooser, not to belabor this point, but really . . .).

One of the early times when I prepared Thanksgiving dinner, way back in my early twenties, I made Shoo-fly Pie. Well, forgive me, I was just out of college and you know what a pretentious culinary period that is in one's life. So don't expect that recipe. These days, if I were preparing a feast for many which entitled me to this dominion over dessert, I would decree: Pecan pie, and French Apple (the pie with the crumb topping). Oh yes! But frankly, while Billy is on board with the French Apple, he just doesn't get the pecan pie thing. He finds it cloyingly sweet. I do too. But in a good way.
 
Still, even with complete and unchallenged control, a little restraint is in order. With the small group that is gathering, I will bake only one pie. And, let's face it, people want pumpkin. I don't know why they do, but they do. So here is my compromise:
 
Pumpkin-Pecan Pie


For Pie Shell
Pastry Dough for nine-inch single crust pie


For Pumpkin Filling
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
2      tablespoons packed brown sugar
1      large egg, lightly beaten
2      tablespoons sour cream
1/8  teaspoon cinnamon
1/8  teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg


For Pecan Layer
3/4 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
3      large eggs, lightly beaten
3      tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2      teaspoons vanilla
1/4  teaspoon finely grated fresh lemon zest
1/2  tablespoon (1 1/2 teaspoons) fresh lemon juice
1/4  teaspoon salt
1 1/3 cup pecans (5 1/2 oz), chopped, if desired


Make pie shell:
Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface with a lightly-floured rolling pin into a 13-inch round (1/8 inch thick), then fit into a 9-inch glass or metal pie plate. Trim edge, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang, then fold overhang under and crimp edge decoratively. Prick bottom and side of shell all over with a fork, then chill shell 30 minutes.


While shell chills, put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375 F.


Line shell with foil and fill with pie weights (dried beans, rice, or what have you), then bake until pastry is set and pale golden on rim, about fifteen minutes. Carefully remove foil and weights and bake shell until pale golden all over, about five minutes more. Cool on a rack.


Make pumpkin filling:
Whisk together pumpkin, brown sugar, egg, sour cream, cinnamon, nutmeg, and a pinch of salt in a bowl until smooth.


Make pecan layer:
Stir together corn syrup, brown sugar, eggs, butter, vanilla, zest, lemon juice, and salt in a bowl, then stir in pecans.


Assemble and bake pie:
Spread pumpkin mixture evenly in shell, then carefully spoon pecan mixture over it. Bake pie until crust is golden and filling is puffed, about thirty minutes. (Center will still be slightly wobbly; filling will set as it cools.) Cool completely on rack. Serve at room temperature.


Cooks' note:
Pie can be baked four hours ahead and kept, uncovered, at cool room temperature. If you bake it a day ahead, loosely cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Reheat in a preheated 350F oven until crust is crisp, about fifteen minutes.


Makes eight to ten servings

Alright, I have not provided you with a pastry dough recipe. I figure if you are baking pies for the holiday, you probably have your own recipe. If not, the cookbook woods are full of them, or you can search Epicurious here. My pastry dough combines butter with a bit of shortening and utilizes ice water. But that's not integral. Pastry doughs are treasured discoveries or else they've been passed down through the generations within families. I'm not even going to admonish you against using prepared pie shells which are readily available (just spotted them at Trader Joe's), though that's not the route I go, even though I'm not a great pie baker. I consider myself a much better cook than baker. But I can step up when it is required. I can even do those leaves for decoration. Surprised you, didn't I?


And one last thing. Remember the post about chocolate? Well, pumpkin filling is ideal for creating soggy crusts. If you want to brush some melted white chocolate over the baked shell, letting it set up before you pour in the fillings, this would be the time to do so. Just don't tell my sister.


Happy Thanksgiving! I am thankful to you all for reading my blog.