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HYDERABAD: Whether maths enthusiasts or not, across the world people hold fun events on March 14 to celebrate all things pi. They also eat pie as part of the celebrations due to the words being homophones in English (Pi and Pie) and circular shape. Here are a few lip-smacking pie recipes to mark the day.
APPLE PIE
Ingredients
1/3 cup sugar | 1/3 cup brown sugar |1/4 cup all-purpose flour |1 teaspoon ground cinnamon | 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger | 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg | 6 to 7 cups thinly sliced peeled apples | 1 tablespoon lemon juice |1 tablespoon butter| 1 large egg white
Method:
● Preheat oven to 375°.
● On a lightly floured surface, roll half the dough to a 1/8-in.-thick circle; transfer to a 9-in. pie plate. Chill while preparing filling. In a small bowl, combine sugars, flour and spices. In a large bowl, toss apples with lemon juice. Add sugar mixture; toss to coat. Add filling to crust; dot with butter.
● Roll remaining dough to a 1/8-in.-thick circle. Place over filling. Trim, seal and flute edge. Cut slits in top. Beat egg white until foamy; brush over crust. If desired, sprinkle with sugar and ground cinnamon.
● Bake on the lowest rack 60-70 minutes, until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbly, covering with foil halfway if crust begins to get too dark. Cool on a wire rack. If desired, serve with ice cream and caramel sauce.
LAMB AND MUSHROOM COTTAGE PIE
Ingredients
600gms of potatoes, cut into large chunks | 2 cloves garlic, halved | 1/4 cup milk | 2 tablespoons unsalted butter |1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided |1 tablespoon olive oil | 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced |1 pound lean ground lamb |3 tablespoons flour |1 1/2 cups lamb broth |1 teaspoon salt|1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper| 2 tablespoons ketchup |1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce |1 cup of peas and carrots.
Method:
● Boil the potatoes and garlic and add a large pinch of salt. Bring to boil, until potatoes are tender, Drain very well, and add back to the saucepan. Add the milk, butter, and half the cheese; mash the potatoes until smooth and lump free. Reserve.
● Add the olive oil to a large sauté pan; add the mushrooms and cook over medium-high heat until golden brown. Remove from the pan and reserve. Add the ground lamb into the same pan and brown over medium heat, breaking the meat into very small pieces as it cooks. Stir in flour and cook for 3 minutes. Stir in the broth, and once it’s incorporated add the salt, pepper, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, mixed vegetables, and reserved mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Transfer into a baking dish.
● Cover the meat mixture with the mashed potatoes, and spread evenly with a fork. Top with the rest of the cheese. Bake in a preheated 375 F. oven for 40 minutes, or until golden. Allow to sit for 10 minutes before serving.
— By Syamal Raju Annamneedi, Executive Chef, Prost
Japanese Kabocha pumpkin pie
Ingredients
1 1/4 cups kabocha squash puree | 2 eggs | 1 yolk | 1/2 cup brown sugar | 3 tablespoons condensed milk | 1/2 cup cream | 1 g gelatin powder (this is optional but it gives a hold to the pie and will cut out nicely) | 1 pinch salt | 1 tablespoon vanilla extract | 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice | 1 teaspoon cinnamon | 1 9- in store bought graham cracker crust
Method:
● Cut the Kabocha squash and remove the seeds, scraping out as much of the string as possible. Cut into the flesh and place in a steamer. Steam until the flesh is soft enough to be scooped.
● Scoop out the flesh and place in a blender with enough water to get it going. Pass the puree through a sieve to remove any large clumps. (This is an optional step, but sure to impress.)
● In a mixing bowl, add the 2 eggs and 1 yolk, along with the brown sugar. Whisk until smooth.
● Bloom the gelatin in with a little water and stir to remove any clumps. Warm the cream on low heat and add the bloomed gelatin. Stir until the gelatin has dissolved.
● Slowly add the cream while whisking the egg mixture. Add the pumpkin, salt, vanilla, pumpkin spice and cinnamon to the mixture. *Whisk until the mixture is smooth. Pass the mixture through a sieve to remove any clumps.
● Pre-heat the oven to 325°F (162°C). Pour the mixture into the pie crust and bake for 45-50 minutes until the pie has set. Remove and let it cool before serving.
— by Nitin Bhardwaj, Culinary Head, Taro
BRAIDED CHICKEN PIE
Ingredients
For Making Dough |2 cups of all purpose flour | 1 tbsp of active dry yeast| 1 tsp of salt | 1 tsp of sugar | 1 egg (divided for dough and brushing) | 1 cup milk| 2 tbsp butter | 4 tbsp oil
For Making Chicken Filling | ½ kg boiled & shredded chicken | 1 medium onion, diced |1 glass milk |2 tsp flour |1 tsp butter | 4 Garlic cloves, chopped finely |1 tsp salt | 1 tsp pepper | 1 tsp oregano| 1 tsp chilli flakes | ½ cup chopped coriander |½ cup mozzarella cheese
Method:
Making dough
● Take a mixing bowl, add all the dry ingredients and mix well.
● Add milk, butter, egg and oil. combine all and mix until to form like a soft ball.
● Cover with plastic wrap and let it rest for 1 hour.
Making chicken filling
● Heat a tbsp of butter , add garlic , chopped onion and sauté for 1minute.
● Add 2 tbsp flour , sauté until it turns brown and add 1 cup milk.
● Add shredded chicken along with all the spices i.e salt, pepper,oregano, chilli flakes.
● Lastly add mozzarella cheese, chopped coriander & mix well.
Roll the dough
● Flour the rolling surface
● Roll the dough in oval shape & put the filling in centre.
● With a sharp knife cut the dough at an angle. (Each slit an equal distance from prior one)
● Repeat the same on the other side.
● Take one slit & lay it across the filling, take the one facing from the other side and overlap each other.
● Repeat the same till the bottom.
● Brush the braid with egg wash. (Mix egg yolk & milk )
● Lastly preheat the oven at 200 C and bake for 30-45 mins.
● Serve it hot with sauce & mayonnaise.
— By Maseera Fatima, food blogger
