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Recipe Detail Page
“Pie” In a Jar
Early Summer 2017
Crispy, flaky, yummy pastry—that’s what makes a GREAT pie. When the pastry and filling are made separately, you are guaranteed fantastic flavours and just the right crunch. There’s nothing unusual about the ingredients in the pastry recipe, what’s special is how it’s put together. With a series of folds, much like a rough puff pastry, the dough develops layers and, upon baking, those layers translate into flakiness. A pastry scraper is a handy tool for picking up and folding the dough. For the filling, you can use your own favourite recipe, perhaps with a little less thickener, or the one below—fresh rhubarb combined with berries and stone fruits such as apricots, plums and nectarines. Use small mason jars, or any small jars you’ve saved from various condiments.
Makes 12 small jars of pie
PASTRY
1¼ cups (310 mL) all-purpose flour
1½ tsp (7 mL) sugar
½ tsp (2 mL) salt
½ cup (125 mL) cold, unsalted butter, cut into ½ inch (1 cm) pieces
3 tbsp (45 mL) ice water
1 tsp (5 mL) lemon juice
1 egg beaten with 2 tsp (10 mL) water for egg wash
2 to 3 tbsp (30 to 45 mL) demerara sugar
FRUIT FILLING
2 cups (500 mL) thinly sliced rhubarb
2 cups (500 mL) fresh berries (strawberries halved or quartered depending on the size)
2 cups (500 mL) diced stone fruit
½ cup (125 mL) sugar or to taste
1 tbsp (15 mL) cornstarch
2 tsp (10 mL) lemon juice
Icing sugar for garnish
1. For the pastry, combine the flour, sugar and salt together in a large bowl. Add the butter pieces and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
2. With your fingertips or a pastry blender, work the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Some larger pieces of butter should still be visible.
3. Combine the ice water and lemon juice and drizzle over the flour mixture. Toss with a spatula until the liquid is incorporated, then squeeze with your hands just until the mixture clumps together but before it forms a solid dough.
4. Turn out onto the work surface and with the heel of your hand, or with a rolling pin, press the dough out to a rectangle that’s about 6 x 12 inches (15 x 30 cm). Fold in half and repeat 3 or 4 times until the dough comes together. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
5. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and on a lightly floured surface, roll the dough thinly to a rectangle about 10 x 14 inches (25 cm x 35 cm). (The shape does not have to be precise since the pastry will be broken into shards once it is baked). Prick the dough all over with a fork and refrigerate for about 1 hour. (The dough can be rolled, covered and refrigerated 1 day ahead.)
6. Place the oven rack in the middle position and preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Brush the dough lightly with egg wash and sprinkle the demerara sugar evenly overtop.
7. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or just until the pastry turns light golden brown. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (180°C) and continue baking 15 to 20 minutes longer, or until the pastry is evenly golden brown and crispy. Cool on a wire rack. The pastry should be baked the day of serving.
8. For the fruit filling, preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Combine the rhubarb, berries and stone fruit in a large bowl. Whisk together the sugar and cornstarch and, along with the lemon juice, mix into the fruit. Turn the mixture into a 9 x 13-inch (23 x 33-cm) baking dish and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, gently tossing occasionally, until the fruit is tender and the juices are clear and bubbling. (The fruit filling can be made up to a day ahead, refrigerated, and then warmed in a microwave or in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 15 to 20 minutes. If you want to serve the dessert with ice cream, the fruit filling should be closer to room temperature.)
9. To serve, divide the fruit among small glass jars and top with shards of pastry. Dust with icing sugar if you like.
Makes 12 small jars of pie
