Saura Madani - Easy as Pie: The Essential Pie Cookbook for Every Season and Reason

Copyright 2019 Rockridge Press, Emeryville, California

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Designer and Interior Designer: Rachel Haeseker

Art Producer: Sue Smith

Editor: Ada Fung

Production Manager: Riley Hoffman

Production Editor: Melissa Edeburn

Photography 2019 Darren Muir

ISBN: Print 978-1-64152-910-5 | eBook 978-1-64152-911-2

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I dedicate this book to my grandmother, Miriam, who introduced me to my love of pie.

Contents

I started cooking professionally in kitchens in my early twenties. Initially drawn to beautifully decorated cakes, I soon realized there was much more to dessert than cake. I attended baking school, but, when I found a job in a pastry kitchen, I never finished. Everything I know I learned on the job. If I didnt know how to do something, Id research and learn from those around me until I figured it out. I climbed the ranks in the pastry world and eventually earned the title of Executive Pastry Chef, which I hold today. The company I work for has three restaurants and I oversee the pastry program for each.

Cooking was a part of my life long before I ever realized it. Ive always loved food. I remember coming home and making my oh-so-special shells and cheese dish, which literally consisted of small shells (because they held the sauce the best), Prego sauce, and melted Cheddar cheese. Around the holidays, my mom and I would bake cookies for the neighbors. Shed bake while I was tasked with the delightful catastrophe you could call decoratingmy skills have since improved! My favorite early memory of cooking comes from a visit to my grandmothers house. She had wonderful fruit trees, and the peach was my very favorite. During that visit, she took those peaches and made a homemade peach pie. It was divinethe perfect balance of tart and sweet with a buttery flaky crust. Who knew a pie could be so wonderful? After that experience I opted for a peach pie instead of a birthday cake on my birthday for several years.

A pie can be a celebration of seasonal fruit, a creamy custard filled with chocolate shavings, or it can be something savory and hearty. A pie can be the iconic treat that brings a celebration together, or it can serve as an icebreaker to welcome new neighbors. In my mind, no holiday feast is complete without a big slice of pie. A pie is perfect for any and every celebration, or just because you feel like it. Whatever the reason, my mission here is to share my tried-and-true, best-of-the-best pie recipes with you.

Intimidated by the thought of making homemade piecrust? Dont be. A little patience and a little love are all you need to tackle the recipes that follow. Armed with the skills Ive learned after making many mistakes during my early pie-making days, Ill teach you what to do and what not to do to easily achieve the perfect flaky piecrust.

Once youve mastered the crust, youll want to show it off with a range of fillings. Ive got you covered with seasonal, fruit-based pies to creamy, custard-based pies. Ive also created some potpies and meat pies for you savory pie lovers.

Remember: Your pie doesnt need to be perfect. It just needs to taste good, and the recipes here are a great place to start.

Is there anything more comforting than pie? Savory or sweet, pie has been gracing tables for centuries and wont be going out of style any time soon. A pie is a beautiful sight to behold. Even if the crust is imperfect, or the filling runs over the sides, what matters is taste.

Making pie from scratch can seem daunting, but its actually quite easy, and Im here to teach you the basics. In this section we cover the equipment youll need and the ingredients youll want to keep in your pantry. We also cover some simple rules to achieve a delicious, flaky crust. Youll soon be on your way to pie-making mastery.

CRUST + FILLING + OVEN = PIE

When you break it down, pie is simply crust, plus a filling, plus a little time in the oven. It doesnt matter if you are making a fruit pie or a custard pie; they each follow the same basic rules. In the case of icebox pie, your creation doesnt even need an oven.

Your pie starts with crust, and in youll find simple step-by-step instructions that will take you from intimidated to unstoppable. Five crust recipes give you all the variety you need.

My tried-and-true recipe for a flaky crust with rich, buttery flavor is the . I use this recipe for the majority of my pies. Make sure to use unsalted butter because you can always add salt, but you cant take it away.