It’s my favorite time of the year, a celebration of Pie, or really, a celebration of people who don’t “get” math so we turn a math thing into a food thing. Here are a few of my favorite ways to celebrate Pi Day 2018!
Pie For Pi Day!
Tag: pi day
Pi Day 2017!
Happy Pi Day! I hope you get to celebrate with a delightful pie or two. I have a few to recommend in case you’re looking for inspiration.
Lets start with how to make pie crust
Then we can move on to the good stuff:
The Perfect Lemon Meringue Pie for Pi Day!
Today is my favorite silly holiday, Pi Day!! I mean, who doesn’t love to celebrate being a nerd and pie all at the same time? This girl can’t pass up the opportunity. Last year I celebrated with a savory vegan pot pie, this year it is one of my other favorite pies, lemon meringue! This is very much not vegan. I know you can make it vegan in all kinds of ways, but I haven’t really tried since I eat eggs these days. My husband did make me a vegan lemon meringue for my birthday a few years ago, but the meringue was a very funny texture. Now that I know about aquafaba that wouldn’t be a problem, so maybe one day I’ll experiment. For now, the real stuff! This is my mom’s recipe that was her mom’s.
This version of lemon meringue is tart, perfectly balanced with the sweet meringue, and all lovingly placed a the perfect homemade crust. If lemon meringue isn’t to your liking, or if you’re vegan, then please check out my mom’s apple pie, or this vegan french silk.
Lemon Meringue Pie
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup + 1 TBL corn starch
- 1 1/2 cup water
- 3 eggs, separated
- 3 TBL butter or Earth Balance
- 2 tsp lemon zest
- 1/2 cup lemon juice
- 1/4 tsp cream of tarter
- 6 TBL granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 9″ Prepared and pre-baked pie crust
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- In a medium saucepan mix together 1 1/2 cups sugar and the corn starch.
- Slowly whisk in the water and cook over medium heat until boiling stirring constantly.
- Continue to cook and stir while boiling for one more minute.
- Remove from heat.
- Whisk egg yolks briefly in a medium bowl.
- Slowly pour half hot sugar/water mixture into the egg yolks while whisking constantly.
- Pour the mixed egg/sugar/water mixture slowly back into the remainder of the sugar/water in the pan whisking constantly.
- Return to the burner and stir constantly over medium heat until boiling, then boil and cook one minute.
- Remove from heat and stir in the butter, lemon zest, and lemon juice and pour in the pre-baked pie crust.
- To make the meringue put the egg whites and cream of tarter in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer on high until foamy.
- Continue beating and add 6 TBL of sugar one TBL at a time beating between additions.
- Add the vanilla extract and beat until stiff and glossy.
- Pour meringue over lemon mixture in the pie crust and spread evenly to the edges sealing it to the crust.
- Bake in pre-heated 400 oven until golden brown and beautiful.
- Cool completely before serving.
- Store in the refrigerator if you happen to have leftovers.
Pot Pi(e) for Pi Day! and a modification for St. Patrick’s day
It’s Pi day! My husband can’t stop talking about it. He was so excited that he suggested I post at exactly 9:26:53 am so I would have been posting on Pi day while representing the first 10 digits of Pi. I missed it, but I will have it posted before 9:26:53 pm. A good thing too or I would have to wait another 100 years for my opportunity!
Since this is Pi day I wanted to celebrate by bringing back my husband’s favorite recipe of mine: Vegan Pot Pie! I posted this a few years ago, but thought it would be good to again draw attention to it. Here is Maine we have a bit longer where root vegetables are in season, and this is a good one to make with root vegetables. Also due to the wonderful nature of this being a potato dish I am posting it in honor of St. Patrick’s day. Just add a few tablespoons of whisky to the vegetable broth for a little depth of flavor and a “touch of the Irish.”
This is a very rich pot pie and will satisfy any meat eater out there. I know it sounds complicated so I created a video to show you my process to get it in the oven fairly quickly (about 30 minutes). And just look at the expression on my face in the screenshot below. It just makes you want to eat whatever I am making!
Vegan Pot Pie
Ingredients
For the Vegetables
- 1 TBL olive oil
- 2 medium Potatoes, diced
- 2 Carrots, sliced
- 2 cups Mushrooms, sliced
- 1 large Onion, diced
- 1 cup Broccoli, chopped
- 2 cloves Garlic, minced
For the Tofu
- 1 TBL olive oil
- 1 lb Tofu, cut into cubes
- 2 TBL tamari or soy sauce
- ¼ tsp granulated garlic
- Few dashes Cayenne
For the Sauce
- ¼ cup Flour
- 2 cups vegetable broth (optional add 2 TBL vegan whisky such as Jameson, or check you brand on Barnivore)
- ½ plain non-dairy milk, or more vegetable broth
- ½ tsp vegan worcestershire sauce
- ¼ cup San-J Tamari
- 1 tsp Hoisan sauce
- ¼ tsp granulated garlic
- 1//8 tsp Cayenne
- 1 TBL fresh Thyme, minced (can also use dried, about 1 tsp, or take it out altogether)
- 1 TBL fresh Sage, minced (can also use dried, about 1 tsp, or take it out altogether)
- 1 tsp black Pepper
For the Crust
- 1 ¼ cups Flour
- ½ tsp Salt
- ½ cup vegetable shortening
- 2-4 TBL cold water
- 1 tsp fresh Rosemary, Minced (can also use dried, about 1/2 tsp, or take it out altogether)
- 1 tsp fresh Sage, Minced (can also use dried, about 1/2 tsp, or take it out altogether)
Instructions
- Put the carrots and potatoes in a pot, cover with water and cook until just tender, about 10 minutes.
- Drain and set aside.
- Heat oil in a skillet and cook tofu over medium/high heat.
- When tofu starts to brown add 2 TBL tamari, garlic and cayenne. Once tamari has cooked off turn off heat and set aside.
- In a large cast iron dutch oven heat oil, add mushrooms and onions cooking for 2 minutes.
- Add broccoli and garlic sautéing for about 2 minutes until the onions are just beginning to soften.
- Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir to coat all the vegetables.
- Pour the vegetable brother over the vegetables while stirring constantly.
- Once mixture is smooth add the non-dairy milk, worcestershire sauce, tamari, hoisan sauce, and spices.
- Add the cooked tofu, potatoes and carrots stirring to combine.
- Turn off heat and let stand while making the crust.
- Pre-heat oven to 375.
- To make the crust combine the flour, salt, and vegetable shortening in a bowl.
- Mix with a pastry blender or fork until mixture in crumbly and lumpy. Do not over-mix.
- Add Rosemary and Sage mixing briefly.
- Add cold water, start with 2 TBL and add slowly. You want your crust to star sticking together and pulling away from the bowl.
- Shape dough into ball with your hands.
- Once crust is ready you can put it in a plastic bag and using your hands push out from the center of the ball.
- Keep shaping the dough until it is the size of your dutch oven.
- Take crust out of the bag and place in dutch oven.
- With a sharp knife poke holes in the crust to let the steam escape.
- Put pot pie in the oven and bake for 45 minutes, until crust is starting to brown. Let sit for about 10 minutes before serving.
Happy Food Ninja 