Tarragon Buttermilk Pie

This is a down-homey pie with a twist

Serves 8 pie-eatin' folk

INGREDIENTS FOR FOOLPROOF PIE DOUGH:

*Vodka is essential to the texture of the crust insofar as it prevents too much gluten from forming and causing a chewy and heavy crust. The vodka imparts no flavor; do not substitute! This dough will be moister and more supple than most pie doughs and will require more flour to roll out (up to 1/4 cup).

1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (6 1/4 ounces)
½ teaspoon table salt
1 tablespoon sugar
6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter (3/4 stick), cut into 1/4-inch slices
1/4 cup chilled solid vegetable shortening , cut into 2 pieces
2 tablespoons vodka , cold
2 tablespoons cold water

DIRECTIONS FOR FOOLPROOF PIE DOUGH:
1. Process 3/4 cups flour, salt, and sugar together in food processor until combined, about 2 one-second pulses. Add butter and shortening and process until homogenous dough just starts to collect in uneven clumps, about 10 seconds (dough will resemble cottage cheese curds with some very small pieces of butter remaining, but there should be no uncoated flour). Scrape down sides and bottom of bowl with rubber spatula and redistribute dough evenly around processor blade. Add remaining 1/2 cup flour and pulse until mixture is evenly distributed around bowl and mass of dough has been broken up, 4 to 6 quick pulses. Empty mixture into medium bowl.

2. Sprinkle vodka and water over mixture. With rubber spatula, use folding motion to mix, pressing down on dough until dough is slightly tacky and sticks together. Flatten dough into 4-inch disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 45 minutes or up to 2 days.

3. Adjust oven rack to lowest position, place rimmed baking sheet on oven rack, and heat oven to 425 degrees. Remove dough from refrigerator and roll out on generously floured (up to ¼ cup) work surface to 12-inch circle about 1/8 inch thick. Roll dough loosely around rolling pin and unroll into pie plate, leaving at least 1-inch overhang on each side. Working around circumference, ease dough into plate by gently lifting edge of dough with one hand while pressing into plate bottom with other hand. Leave overhanging dough in place; refrigerate until dough is firm, about 30 minutes.

4. Trim overhang to ½ inch beyond lip of pie plate. Fold overhang under itself; folded edge should be flush with edge of pie plate. Flute dough or press the tines of a fork against dough to flatten it against rim of pie plate. Refrigerate dough-lined plate until firm, about 15 minutes.

5. Remove pie pan from refrigerator, line crust with foil, and fill with pie weights or pennies. Then cover pie with a layer of foil. Bake for 8 minutes. Remove foil and weights, rotate plate, and bake for an additional 4 minutes, until crust just begins to color.
Fool Proof Pie Dough Recipe is from Cook’s Illustrated

INGREDIENTS FOR FILLING:

*If you love anise, substitute 1 teaspoon anise seed for the 2 teaspoons dried tarragon.

1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 eggs, at room temperature
1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
2 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoons dried tarragon

DIRECTIONS FOR FILLING:
1. In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Stir in sugar, flour, and salt. Remove from heat and set aside. In an electric mixing bowl, beat eggs medium speed just until fluffy (about 2 minutes). Stir in buttermilk, vanilla, and dried tarragon. Gradually whisk buttermilk mixture into butter mixture until smooth. Pour into prebaked crust. Do not overfill the pie crust. It’s better to discard some of the filling than use it all if it gets too close to the pie dish’s lip.

2. Place pie on oven rack; carefully tent the whole pie with aluminum foil. Bake 55 to 60 minutes or until sides are set and most of the pie remains firm when gently shaken. Center may still look slightly wet, but it will continue cooking and set and also firm up in the refrigerator. The tarragon floats to the top as the pie cooks. Cool on wire rack for 1 hour. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours before serving. This pie is best served 5 minutes or more after it is taken out of the refrigerator. Serve alone or with candied orange or lemon slices.

* Most dairy that is labeled "buttermilk" in the United States is not true buttermilk. Genuine buttermilk is the low fat dairy that remains after milk has been churned into butter. Modern dairies mimic this traditional buttermilk by fermenting skim milk until it becomes viscous and acidic.


Recipe by Cristina Paul