Unlike cupcakes, pies are perfect for savory fillings

Pie, they say, is the new cupcake.

It had to happen sooner or later. The cupcake craze went too far. Exhibit A? A turkey cranberry cupcake. With gravy-spiked batter.

Of course, such cupcake foolishness didn’t happen overnight. But once the genre tread onto the savory side of baking, ma

ny a cook could be heard uttering, “Now that’s just wrong!”

First came Brooklyn baker Keavy Landreth’s Maple Bacon Cupcake. A tender maple cinnamon cake, topped with a puff of vanilla frosting and garnished with a thick chunk of bacon. Would it help to know it was Vermont’s Tamarack Hollow Farms bacon?

Didn’t think so.

Well, anyway, those bacon-garnished creations opened the door for macaroni and cheese cupcakes, meatloaf cupcakes, and lasagna cupcakes.

A far cry from double chocolate with sugar sprinkles, I must say. So with such silliness overtaking the cupcake trend, going from food hottie to food naughty was only a matter of time.

Meanwhile, over on the sidelines, just biding its time, was pie. Some say pie could have jumped in during the ice cream frenzy. But there it stayed, below the radar, even as our love fest for macaroons faded.

But now, it seems, pie is big. Or little. Or encased completely in dough and hand held. That’s how flexible the idea of putting edible things in pastry is. Which is why so many cuisines have celebrated the concept.

On this page, for example, I’ve got an American pot pie, plus a good old fashioned vegetable pie — with a twist. Not a tortured twist. Just a little variation in common ingredients to add depth of flavor.

As for fruit fillings, hang on. Summer’s on the horizon and the pie trend is barely heating up. For now, with winter still rattling our window panes, let’s stick with rich and savory, shall we?

Ham and fennel pie with marinated artichokes

5 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup flour

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

1/2 cup scalded heavy cream (see note below)

About 1/2 pound broccoli

1 cup chopped fennel bulb (about half a medium-sized bulb)

1 cup chopped yellow onion

3/4 cup diced ham

2 6-ounce jars marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped to measure 2/3 cup

3/4 cup shredded cheddar

1 unbaked 8-inch pastry shell

In saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. With wire whisk, blend in the flour, and cook the mixture over moderately low heat, stirring, for 2 minutes. Remove pan from heat and whisk in the chicken broth in a steady stream. Return the pot to the burner and cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes, or until thickened. Stir in the scalded heavy cream, then remove pan from heat. You will have about 2 1/4 cups of sauce. (Note: The sauce may be prepared up to 24 hours ahead. Before refrigerating, let it cool for about 4 minutes, then gently place a sheet of waxed paper or plastic wrap on the surface so the sauce won’t form a skin.)

Peel the broccoli stalks and cut enough stalk and flowerets to measure 3 cups of broccoli pieces. Place the broccoli in a steamer rack along with the fennel and onion; cover and steam over rapidly boiling water for about 8 minutes (broccoli will be softened but not completely tender — do not overcook). Place the steamed vegetables in a bowl and combine with the ham, artichokes and 1 cup of the sauce. Stir gently to blend. Stir in the cheese, then spoon the vegetable mixture into the unbaked pastry shell. Pour the remaining 1 1/4 cups of sauce on top of the vegetable mixture, gently spreading it out with a spatula so that it reaches down in the corners around the crust. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 1 hour, or until top is golden and the filling bubbling and thickened.

Remove the pie from oven and let it stand for 20 minutes before serving. Note: This is an important step, because the filling needs this time to “set up”; otherwise it will be too runny. Don’t worry, even after 20 minutes, it is still very hot.

Makes 6 servings.

Note on scalding cream: The term “scalding” means to heat the cream in a small saucepan over medium-high heat just until tiny bubbles begin to form around the edge. Do not bring the milk to a boil.

A wonderful winter treat. If you have small pie plates or 8- or 12-ounce custard cups, then go ahead and make individual pies. Adjust the baking time accordingly.

Classic American chicken pot pie

4 tablespoons butter

1 cup finely chopped yellow onion

1 cup chopped celery

3 large cloves garlic, peeled and minced

4 tablespoons flour

2 cups chicken broth

1 cup half and half

About 1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

2 cups peeled and cubed potatoes (1/2-inch), blanched

1 cup peas (frozen are perfectly fine!)

1/2 cup coarsely shredded carrots

2 cups cooked and shredded (or cubed) chicken (white and dark meat)

1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley

2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves

1 recipe of pastry crust (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 9-by-9-by-2-inch square baking dish.

In a large skillet, melt the butter. Add the onions, celery, and garlic, and saute until the onion is soft and translucent. Whisk in the flour and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, just until the flour mixture begins to turn a light golden brown. Whisk in the chicken broth and bring the liquid to a boil, whisking constantly. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 5 minutes, until the sauce has begun to thicken. Whisk in the half-and-half and continue to cook for 4 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened. Stir in the salt and pepper, then adjust the seasoning, adding additional salt and pepper to taste.

Remove from heat and stir in the potatoes, peas, carrots, chicken, parsley and thyme. (Note: This filling could be prepared and refrigerated up to 24 hours ahead; when ready to assemble and bake the pies, gently reheat the filling slightly.)

Line the baking pan with one of the prepared crusts. Pour the filling into the crust. Place the top crust on top of the filling. Carefully tuck the overlapping crust into the pan, forming a thick edge. Crimp the edges of the pan, then cut three vents into the center of the top crust. Place on a baking sheet in the preheated oven. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is hot and bubbly.

Remove the pie from the oven and let it cool for about 5 minutes before serving.

Pastry crust: In a large mixing bowl, combine 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour with 1 teaspoon salt. Add 1 1/2 cups chilled vegetable shortening and work it into the flour with your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Using a fork or pastry blender, add up to 5 tablespoons of ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, adding only as much as is needed to make a smooth ball of dough that just barely holds together. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes of up to several hours.

When ready to assemble the pie, remove the dough from the refrigerator and place it on a lightly floured surface. Cut the dough into two pieces; place the second half back in the refrigerator. For each crust, roll the dough out on the floured surface into a square measuring about 14 inches in diameter, and 1/8-inch thick.

Gently fold the square in half and then in half again so that it can be easily moved into the baking pan without tearing. Unfold the dough into the pan. Fill and proceed with the recipe as directed. Makes 2 pie crusts.

Makes about 6 servings.

Mushroom empanadas

For empanada dough:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup all-vegetable shortening, chilled, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1 large egg

1/3 cup ice water

1 tablespoon vinegar

For mushroom filling:

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 cup finely chopped red or yellow onion

3 large cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1 pound crimini mushrooms, sliced and coarsely chopped

3 tablespoons of fresh thyme, stems removed

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup of dry white wine (such as Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc or Chardonnay

1/4 cup of heavy cream

1 cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 large egg, lightly beaten with 1 teaspoon of water

Prepare the dough: Combine the flours with the salt. Add the shortening and using your fingers or a pastry blender, blend until the mixture resembles cornmeal. In a small bowl, whisk the egg with the ice water and the vinegar. Slowly pour enough of this mixture into the flour mixture to form a dough when blended with a fork. Knead the dough briefly (two or three times) just until it comes together into a ball.

Wrap the dough in plastic wrap, flatten it slightly with the palm of our hand, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

To prepare the empanadas, heat the butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and saute until the onion is soft. Add the mushrooms, thyme, salt, and pepper and continue to saute until the mushrooms turn golden. Add the wine, stirring up all the cooked-on bits of food. Continue cooking until the wine has reduced almost completely, then stir in the cream and continue cooking for a minute or two. Remove from heat and let the mixture cool.

When ready to assemble the empanadas, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Roll out the dough to 1/8-inch thickness on a floured surface. Using a 5- or 6-inch round biscuit cutter, cut the dough into circles. Gather the scraps together and re-roll the dough to use it up. You should have 8 to 9 rounds.

Place about 1/4 cup of the mushroom filling onto one half of each circle, leaving a half-inch edge. Sprinkle some of the cheese on top of the filling. Brush the edges of the pastry with some of the beaten egg. Fold the dough over to create a semi-circle. Use the tines of a fork to press the edges tightly together. Arrange the empanadas on a baking sheet lined with parchment (or lightly greased). Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the empanadas are golden brown.

Makes 8 to 9 5-inch pastries.

Jan Roberts-Dominguez is a Corvallis, Ore., food writer, cookbook author and artist. Readers can contact her by email at janrd@proaxis.com, or obtain additional recipes and food tips on her blog at www.janrd.com.