Pi Day is observed on March 14th, or 3/14, to represent the mathematical constant of pi. Since the nature of pi is obviously in relation to circles and is pronounced the same way as pie, it naturally became associated with the food pie. Celebrating Pi Day is easy, no matter your taste. Pies come in both sweet and savory varieties and the sky is almost the limit when it comes to deciding how to fill them. The following are some fun and delicious pies to try for Pi Day.
Rhubarb Pie
Rhubarb grows in stalks that look somewhat like celery, but are a pinkish red. This vegetable is very tart and is often mixed with sugar and combined with strawberries in pie. This pie features rhubarb as the main event. Combine three tablespoons of cornstarch with two teaspoons of orange zest, 1/8 teaspoon of salt and one cup of sugar in a bowl. Add in two tablespoons of orange juice and two pounds of rhubarb cut into half inch pieces. Stir until well coated. Pour into a prepared pie shell and cover with a second piecrust, cutting slits into the top for steam to escape. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Then, turn the oven down to 350 degrees for about an hour, or until the crust is browned and filling is bubbling.
Apricot Breakfast Pie
Who says you should only have pie for dessert? This breakfast pie gives you a burst of sweetness that you can enjoy for breakfast just like any other pastry. Start with two pounds of ripe apricots and combine with two tablespoons of sugar, two tablespoons of flour and a few pinches of baking spices such as cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, cardamom, etc. You can mix and match to fit your tastes and the fruit, if you decide to use something other than apricot. Add in a pinch of grated lemon zest. Mix everything up and transfer to a baking dish or cast iron skillet.
Using premade pie dough or your own recipe, roll out the crust to about a quarter inch thick. Make sure it’s slightly bigger than the baking dish. Transfer to the top of the pie mixture, press it down gently and then tuck in the sides. Bake at 425 degrees for about 10 minutes to brown the top, then turn it down to 350 degrees and bake for another 30 minutes or less. Very ripe apricots should only take 15 minutes, but harder fruit like pears or apples could take up to 30. Serve with mascarpone, Devonshire cream or yogurt.
Apricot Meringue Pie
Everyone’s heard of a lemon meringue pie, but this is a unique take on the style that also uses apricots. To start, you’ll need a pre-baked pie shell. For the filling, you’ll need one pound of apricots cut into one inch pieces. Combine with three tablespoons of lemon juice in a blender and mix until smooth. Pour the mixture through a mesh strainer over a bowl. Press the mixture with the back of a spoon to ensure everything gets strained. Discard the strainer contents. Measure out one cup of the mixture and set aside.
Next, separate six egg yolks from the whites. Set the whites aside in a clean bowl. Whisk the yolks to break them up. Combine one cup of sugar, a quarter teaspoon of salt and a quarter cup plus two tablespoons of cornstarch in a nonreactive saucepan. Whisk in one cup of water until quite smooth. Place the pan over medium heat and continue whisking until it bubbles a bit. Continue cooking and whisking until the mixture becomes thick gel. Add a quarter cup to the egg yolks and combine. Then add the apricot mixture to the pan with the gel and combine. Add in the egg yolks next and combine. Return the pan to the heat and cook and stir for about seven minutes or until thick. Add two tablespoons of butter and allow it to melt into the mixture and stir. Pour the mixture into the crust and let it cool for 30 minutes.
Next up, make the meringue by whisking one cup of sugar two tablespoons at a time into the bowl of egg whites. Add half an inch of water to a saucepan that is big enough to hold the bowl without it touching the ½ inch of water. Bring to a simmer and then reduce the heat to low. Whisk the sugar and egg mixture until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture reaches 150 degrees. Remove and add a quarter teaspoon of cream of tarter. Using a mixer with a whisk attachment, start on low, increase to medium and eventually whisk on high until peaks form. Add the meringue to the pie and then bake at 475 degrees for five minutes or until meringue is golden.
Greek Spinach and Feta Pies
If you’re not a dessert person, you can still celebrate Pi Day with a savory pie. For this Greek-style pie, you’ll need one pound of thawed phyllo sheets. Prepare the filling first by wilting one pound of chopped spinach in a frying pan at medium-high heat. Fry in batches and place in a strainer to cool. Next, melt two tablespoons of butter and add one bunch of chopped green onions and half of a medium yellow onion, also chopped. Season with salt and cook until softened. Meanwhile, when the spinach is cool, wring out as much liquid as possible before adding to the onions in a bowl. Cool this mixture a bit and then add half a pound of good Greek feta, two large beaten eggs, half a teaspoon of lemon zest and a pinch of nutmeg. Add black pepper to taste.
When you assemble the pies, it’s important to work quickly so that the phyllo dough doesn’t dry out. Cover the pieces of phyllo with a damp towel and then pull one sheet out at a time from the stack. Brush the sheet with melted butter and then put another sheet on top of it and do the same. Once you have four layers of phyllo, slice it lengthwise into three pieces. Put two tablespoons of filling about one inch from the trailing edge. Fold the pie into a triangle in the same way you would fold a flag. Place on a baking sheet with the seam facing down. Bake the pies at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes.
