I loathe squash. However, I like pie.
Jul. 25th, 2013 09:00 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
madbakerThis week's Resolution Recipe: Summer Squash Custard Pie.
As long-time readers should know, I absolutely abhor summer squashes of all sorts. It's a reaction to being forced to eat them as a child, cooked in the worst possible way: sauteed until brown and slimy. If they'd been grilled or lightly steamed I probably wouldn't mind them now. As it is, I generally can only eat them when they're heavily disguised. We get them in our weekly vegetable box and most of the time I don't want to simply throw them out - we've already paid for them, after all.
one single 9" pie crust (3/4 cup flour, 1/4 cup butter, 2 T cold water)
1 1/2 lbs summer squash
3/4 cup sugar
1 Tbsp cornstarch
1/4 tsp nutmeg (I used 1/2 tsp, because I feel about nutmeg the way Agatha Heterodyne does about nuts.)
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup heavy cream
3 eggses, beaten well
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp white vinegar
Heat the oven to 400. Peel, seed, and chunk the squash. In a medium saucepan, bring 3/4 cup water to a rolling boil. Add the squash and cook until tender and soft, but still holding its shape without turning to mush - 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and drain well.
In a small bowl combine the dry ingredients and mix well. In a medium bowl, combine the cream, eggses, butter, vanilla, and vinegar. Stir everything together with a whisk. Add the sugar mixture and mix well to get a thick, smooth, filling.
Mash the squash to make as soft and smooth as possible, draining off any extra liquid it releases. Fold into the filling and stir well. Pour into the piecrust and bake for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 325 and bake until the filling is firm and nicely browned, passing the toothpick test, 30 to 40 minutes.
Cool to room temperature. Serve at room or slightly chilled.
What worked: This was really good. It was even better with tea the next day.
What didn't: The 3/4 cup water to boil the squash was a lie. I had to use a fair amount more simply to cover the squash. I used a potato masher to mash the squash and it wasn't as smooth or mashed as it should have been - it didn't distribute thoroughly through the custard. I'd use the fud processor, but then I couldn't drain off the excess liquid easily. I suppose I could use a ricer or a chinois but those are both pains.
Finally, we first ate it hot out of the oven for the homeowners' meeting, and it was a bit blistering. It really should cool to room temperature.
Will I make it again? Best thing I've discovered for using summer squash.
As long-time readers should know, I absolutely abhor summer squashes of all sorts. It's a reaction to being forced to eat them as a child, cooked in the worst possible way: sauteed until brown and slimy. If they'd been grilled or lightly steamed I probably wouldn't mind them now. As it is, I generally can only eat them when they're heavily disguised. We get them in our weekly vegetable box and most of the time I don't want to simply throw them out - we've already paid for them, after all.
one single 9" pie crust (3/4 cup flour, 1/4 cup butter, 2 T cold water)
1 1/2 lbs summer squash
3/4 cup sugar
1 Tbsp cornstarch
1/4 tsp nutmeg (I used 1/2 tsp, because I feel about nutmeg the way Agatha Heterodyne does about nuts.)
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup heavy cream
3 eggses, beaten well
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp white vinegar
Heat the oven to 400. Peel, seed, and chunk the squash. In a medium saucepan, bring 3/4 cup water to a rolling boil. Add the squash and cook until tender and soft, but still holding its shape without turning to mush - 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and drain well.
In a small bowl combine the dry ingredients and mix well. In a medium bowl, combine the cream, eggses, butter, vanilla, and vinegar. Stir everything together with a whisk. Add the sugar mixture and mix well to get a thick, smooth, filling.
Mash the squash to make as soft and smooth as possible, draining off any extra liquid it releases. Fold into the filling and stir well. Pour into the piecrust and bake for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 325 and bake until the filling is firm and nicely browned, passing the toothpick test, 30 to 40 minutes.
Cool to room temperature. Serve at room or slightly chilled.
What worked: This was really good. It was even better with tea the next day.
What didn't: The 3/4 cup water to boil the squash was a lie. I had to use a fair amount more simply to cover the squash. I used a potato masher to mash the squash and it wasn't as smooth or mashed as it should have been - it didn't distribute thoroughly through the custard. I'd use the fud processor, but then I couldn't drain off the excess liquid easily. I suppose I could use a ricer or a chinois but those are both pains.
Finally, we first ate it hot out of the oven for the homeowners' meeting, and it was a bit blistering. It really should cool to room temperature.
Will I make it again? Best thing I've discovered for using summer squash.
