[I did not intend to share a recipe for pie on pie/Pi (π) day, but here I am.]
The past year has been good for pie, and for those of us who love it. Two wonderful cookbooks were published in 2013, The Hoosier Mama Book of Pie [1] (Chicago!) and The Four and Twenty Blackbirds Pie Book [2], both of which I’ve written about on these pages. Now, First Prize Pies [3], a third (wonderful!) cookbook dedicated to pie has arrived. Its author, Allison Kave, is no stranger to Lottie + Doof. She is responsible for both the Apple Cider Cream Pie [4] and the Dark & Stormy popcorn [5]—two of my favorite recipes. I was eagerly anticipating this book and I am happy to report that it does not disappoint. It also completes some sort of holy (unholy?) trifecta of professional pie cookbooks.
There are many recipes I am anxious to make (avocado! smoked almond! all of the summer fruits! summer, yes, summer!) but nothing sounded better than this pineapple pie. I have never seen a recipe like it before—fresh pineapple in a pie?! Is that even possible? Spoiler alert: IT IS.
Pieces of sunny pineapple are suspended in a lime and rum flavored custard and the whole business is encased in a deliciously rich and flaky crust. It is absolutely wonderful and Bryan and I could not stop eating it. It is the perfect pie for these last days of winter, a little sunshine on your plate.
*Notice how my pie crust did the slide—perfection is over-rated, friends. Especially when it comes to pie.
The pie keeps well. Allison suggests it will keep in the fridge for a week. I think it is at its peak on days 1 and 2 (no noticeable differences on those two days). Days 3 and 4 the pie was still great, but the crust was softening a bit. It only survived that long. If you manage to make it last beyond 4 days, you are a stronger person than me.
Pineapple Pie (recipe by Allison Kave from First Prize Pies [3])
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup sugar (I did 3/4 cup)
- zest and juice of 1 lime
- 2 tablespoons dark rum (I did 1.5 T)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup (55g) melted butter
- 2 cups (362g) chopped fresh pineapple
- pie crust for a double-crusted pie (Allison’s recipe is online, or use your favorite)
- raw sugar, for garnish
Preheat the oven to 450°F.
In a large bowl, lightly beat the eggs, then whisk in the sugar, lime zest and juice, rum, and salt. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the flour and butter until fully blended, then whisk them into the egg mixture. Stir in the pineapple.
Roll out one half of your dough into a circle about 11 inches in diameter. Transfer it to a 9-inch pie plate, trim the overhang to 1-inch, and fill with the pineapple mixture. Brush the rim of the pie crust with egg wash or milk.
Roll out the remaining circle of dough to about 10 inches, lay over the pie, and trim and crimp the edges to your liking. Cut slits in the top crust, paint it with egg wash or milk, and sprinkle the top with raw sugar.
Bake the pie on a baking sheet for 20 minutes, rotating it once halfway through. Lower the temperature to 350°F, and bake it for another 30 to 40 minutes, until the crust is nicely browned and fully baked and the filling doesn’t jiggle under the crust when the baking sheet is moved. Allow the pie to cool completely before serving.
* The pie can also be frozen after baking: wrap it well in plastic wrap, then in foil, and freeze it for up to 2 months.