Loria says: “I can get lost in decorating piecrusts with botanicals. It’s such a satisfying process that provides an even greater reward after the bake. The whimsical vines of baked pea tendrils always amaze me. The extra effort of decorating is worth it, and this pie is delicious. I suggest serving it with a salad for brunch or for dinner.”

Makes one 9-inch pie

Ingredients

2 uncooked batches of Easy as Piecrust (see below)
½ cup (20g) pea tendrils or soft green herbs, such as parsley or cilantro, including soft stems
Edible flowers, such as feverfew or chamomile (optional)
1 cup (113g) grated Comté or Gruyère cheese
4 large eggs, lightly whisked
1¼ cups (295g) half-and-half
½ cup (100g) frozen peas
¼ cup (10g) small-diced scallions (white and green parts)
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Egg wash: 1 large egg mixed with 2 tablespoons water (optional)

Method

Preheat the oven to 190ºC/375°F with one rack set in the lowest position and another in the lower third position.

Par-bake 1 piecrust in a 9-inch pie plate on the lowest oven rack. Set it aside to cool completely.

Roll out the unbaked piecrust to 10 inches in diameter and place it on a sheet of parchment paper. Decorate the unbaked piecrust with pea tendrils, overlapping them to create a scene of crawling green vines. Add flowers if you wish. Place a piece of parchment on top of your creation and use two flexible cutting mats or sheet pans to flip it so the decoration faces downward.

Place in the refrigerator or freezer to set for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the cheese, eggs, half-and-half, frozen peas, scallions, salt, and pepper. Pour the mixture into the par-baked piecrust.

Using a pastry brush, brush the edges of the piecrust with some of the liquid egg filling (this will help secure the pie top). Take the decorated piecrust out of the refrigerator or freezer and carefully drape it over the pie so the design side faces up. Wait until the pie dough is flexible (when it warms up to nearly room temperature) and then lightly press the edges of the top decorated crust into the bottom crust.

Pierce the top of the pie with several slits so that hot air can escape while it bakes. Brush the top of the pie with egg wash for a shimmer if you wish.

Place the pie on a sheet pan on the lower third oven rack and bake until the crust is golden brown and the filling is set, 50 to 55 minutes.

Let rest for 10 minutes before serving. Serve warm or at room temperature, or refrigerate and reheat to serve later.

Store leftover pie in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the fridge or 1 month in the freezer. Reheat in a 175ºC/350°F oven for 20 minutes or until warmed through.

Easy as piecrust

Makes one 9-inch par-baked pie shell

Ingredients

1¼ cups (150g) all-purpose flour
¼ cup (30g) brown rice flour (you can substitute whole wheat pastry flour, rye flour, buckwheat, millet, or spelt)
½ teaspoon kosher salt
8 tablespoons (115g) unsalted butter, vegan butter, or coconut oil, cut into ⅐-inch cubes and frozen
Up to ¼ cup (60g) ice water

Method

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flours and salt and pulse until blended. Add the frozen butter cubes and pulse until the butter looks like little peas. Add the water in a slow stream as the food processor is running; stop adding water when the dough begins to come together. You might not need the full amount of water.

Turn out the dough onto a sheet of parchment paper and place another sheet on top. Roll out the dough to a ¼-inch-thick 11 x 11-inch square.

Remove the top piece of parchment paper and lay the rolled-out dough (still on top of the parchment paper) over a 9-inch pie pan. Lightly press the bottom to be flush with the pan. Using your hands, fold the dough over itself so there is a crust rim around the edge of the circular pan. If the dough is uneven, simply cut a part that is hanging over and add to an area that needs more dough. Crimp the edges, using your thumb and fingers, into a series of Vs. Using a fork, prick the bottom of the crust all over.

Freeze the dough in the pie pan until hard, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 205ºC/400°F with a rack set in the lowest position.

Place the frozen crust in its pan on a sheet pan. Line the pie shell with parchment paper so that the paper is completely covering the pie and hanging several inches outside of the pie. Pour pie weights (or dried beans) into the pan to cover the bottom (or set an 8-inch cake pan into the pie pan to keep the dough in place.)

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the edges look slightly golden. Let rest until completely cool, then remove the pie weights. The piecrust is now par-baked.

Note: This recipe makes a single par-baked bottom crust. If you need a top crust, double the recipe, divide the dough in half, and refrigerate or freeze the top crust until you’re ready to roll it out.

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