madbaker: (peel)
madbaker ([personal profile] madbaker) wrote2013-07-25 09:00 am

I loathe squash. However, I like pie.

This 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.

[identity profile] klwilliams.livejournal.com 2013-07-25 06:31 pm (UTC)(link)
I loath summer squash, but I love custard pie. This looks interesting.

[identity profile] joycebre.livejournal.com 2013-07-25 07:02 pm (UTC)(link)
are those the patty-pan kind of squash? I only like them cooked like you would fried green tomatoes.
If it's zucchini, zucchini bread is a nice way to hide them.

[identity profile] madbaker.livejournal.com 2013-07-25 09:57 pm (UTC)(link)
They were zucchini-like but not zucchini. I'm okay with zucchini bread too, but this was nicer.

[identity profile] serendipity17.livejournal.com 2013-07-26 06:28 am (UTC)(link)
Disc-sliced and panfried to caramelized-brown is my favorite way to cook zucchini. Mom's default prep was broiled long halves with green-shaker parmesan on the flesh side. Most times the skin side charred before they got flipped.

[identity profile] madbaker.livejournal.com 2013-07-26 05:51 pm (UTC)(link)
You would have gotten along just fine with my mother's cooking method, sounds like. Well, someone has to like it!

[identity profile] serendipity17.livejournal.com 2013-07-26 09:23 pm (UTC)(link)
I don't stir them, I just flip them once. It's the closest I can come to grilled in the kitchen. Most things are better well-browned and crispy.

Spouse prefers chewy/moist. This is a constant cookie-texture battle in our household.