Dish up a slice or two of onion pie

Published 10:01 am Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Come Saturday, “Recognize someone special: Take, bake or buy an American pie.’’ So says the American Pie Council, anyway.

“As the nation steers through a series of challenges, we still have much to be grateful for and many to say thank you to: Men and women who defend our nation, friends and neighbors who volunteer time to worthy causes, and family members who are always there for us.’’

The pie council said that, and I’m not only taken with that particular sentiment, I’m in total agreement with it.

Maybe you are too. To share some love in a pie shell, and observe National Pie Day at the same time, I helped myself to a recipe from the APC’S Web site, www.piecouncil.org, that I hope we might all enjoy.

I chose this savory side dish because it sounds to onion-loving me like it should be a slice of heaven on a plate. Here goes:

John Michael Lerma’s Vidalia onion pie

Crust:

11/2cups all-purpose flour

1/2tablespoon sugar

1/2teaspoon kosher or Hawaiian salt

1/4cup cold all-vegetable shortening, cut into small pieces

1/4cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

1/4cup cold water

1egg yolk combined with 1 teaspoon water for egg wash

Filling:

2pounds Vidalia or other sweet onions, peeled and thinly sliced

1/2cup unsalted butter

3eggs, beaten

1cup sour cream

3tablespoons flour

1/4teaspoon kosher or Hawaiian salt

1/2teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese to taste

For the crust, make sure all ingredients are cold, then combine the flour, sugar and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add shortening and butter. Using a pastry blender, cut in until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Drop by drop, add the cold water. Mix in with fingertips, not hands, as the palms will warm the dough. Continue mixing water in until the dough begins to hold together without being sticky, but not crumbly.

Place dough on plastic wrap. Fold over the wrap and press down to form a disk. This will make rolling out easier after chilling. Finish wrapping in plastic and place in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

Lightly spray a deep 9-inch pie pan or 8 1/2-inch fluted flan pan. Roll out the dough and place in pie plate or flan pan, allowing the excess pastry to hang over the edge. Flute edge, then brush pie shell with the egg wash. Return to the refrigerator until the filling is ready. Makes pastry for one 9-inch, single-crust pie.

For the filling, preheat oven to 450 degrees. Over medium heat, melt the butter in a skillet, add onions and saute until onions are translucent. Do not brown. Combine eggs, sour cream and flour; add to onion mixture. Season with salt and pepper and pour into the chilled pie crust. Top with the Parmesan cheese. Bake for 20 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees and bake 20 additional minutes or until center is set.

Makes one 9-inch pie.

Do you have a savory pie recipe to share? Send it to Judyrae Kruse at the Forum, c/o The Herald, P.O. Box 930, Everett, WA 98206.

We are happy to receive your contributions and requests, but please remember that all letters and e-mails must include a name, complete address and telephone number with area code. Sorry, but no reply to e-mail by return e-mail; send to kruse@heraldnet.com.

The next Forum will appear in Friday’s Good Life section.