Free Toe Pie Recipes

FRIED PIES

Steps:

• To make the pastry, mix together the flour, granulated sugar and salt. Cut in 1 cup of the shortening until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add 1 of the eggs and the buttermilk and stir until it just comes together. Add a little more buttermilk if needed. Form it into a ball and refrigerate for at least an hour.
• To make the pies, roll the pastry out into a large square. Trim the edges to make a rectangle. Cut into 8 to 10 long rectangles, using a butter knife.
• Spoon a tablespoon or so of filling into the top half of one of the rectangles.
• Use the remaining beaten eggs to seal the edges by folding the bottom half of the rectangle over the top. Then crimp the edges shut with a fork. Repeat with the other pies, filling half with apple pie filling and half with cherry pie filling.
• Heat shortening in a medium, deep saucepan over medium-high heat to 350 degrees F. Fry the pies until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove and immediately drain on paper towels.
• Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve.

TOMMY TOE PIE

Steps:

• The day before, slice 3 to 5 tomatoes and drain on paper towels.
• Refrigerate.
• Bake deep-dish pie shell according to package directions.
• Cool.
• Mix cheeses, mayonnaise and basil. Set mixture aside.
• Spread the bottom of the pie shell with Dijon mustard. Place one layer of tomatoes, and then sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Layer ½ of the cheese and mayonnaise mixture.
• Sprinkle with chopped green onions. Repeat layers. End with ½ cup of shredded Parmesan cheese on top.
• Bake at 375 degrees for 35-40 minutes. Enjoy!

FREE-FORM FRUIT AND NUT PIES

Steps:

• Toast all the pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring, until evenly brown and fragrant, about 2 to 3 minutes. Cool.
• Pulse the 3/4 cup cool pine nuts and sugar in a food processor until finely ground, about 15 times. Add the flour, cornmeal, salt, and butter and pulse until combined, about 10 more times. Add the egg and pulse until mixture comes together in a soft dough, about 5 times.
• Lay out an 8 by 11-inch sheet of waxed or parchment paper. Divide dough equally into 6 balls and place on the paper, leaving at least 4 inches between each. Press down lightly to make even disks, and cover with another sheet of paper. With a rolling pin lightly roll over the entire sheet to make rounds about 5 inches in diameter. Slide paper onto a baking sheet and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 3 days.
• Remove top sheet of paper and cut the parchment into 6 squares (around the dough circles). Place 2 heaping tablespoons of jam on each circle and spread it evenly with the back of a spoon over the crust, leaving a 1 1/2-inch border around the edges. Fold and loosely pleat the dough over the edge of the jam, to make a rustic free-form pie. (Use the edge of the parchment or a bench scraper to lift the edges of dough over; it's easier that way. See photo.) Repeat with the remaining disks.
• Whisk the egg yolk with a teaspoon of water and brush over the edges of the crusts with it. Sprinkle remaining pine nuts onto the egg wash. Refrigerate pies for 30 minutes.
• Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F. Bake pies until golden brown, about 30 minutes. Let set for 5 minutes before transferring with the paper onto a rack to cool.
• Serve warm or at room temperature, with ice cream, whipped cream or yogurt, if desired.