This recipe for Zucchini and Mushroom pies, by Bill from The Pie Truck, was prepared thanks to the fantastic work of food stylist Adam C. Pearson and photographer Matt Armendariz in their Long Beach studio. I really loved the time I spent learning in their studio because it has a million and one props to choose from when making and styling food to be photographed. For these images, I chose a vintage mini muffin tin that produced the perfect sized little pies. The empty muffin hole you see was home to a perfectly formed pie which was nicknamed The Hero. The Hero was set aside on his own little plate (kind of like his own little trailer) and for the duration of the shoot, only Adam was allowed to handle The Hero. The Hero is -not- the pie we cut into to take the pictures. The Hero is the uncut one you see. He remained in tact until after the shoot. Then I ate him. He tasted as flaky and good as he looks in the images!
The Pie Truck served its patrons in the Bay Area until 19 December when Bill and his friends and customers unfortunately bid it farewell. (You can read the Pie Truck’s story here). Fortunately, we have a recipe for one of the fantastic pies which were available from the truck. For those of you who knew the Pie Truck, this will let you keep the memory alive. For those of you who never had the chance to taste a pie, here’s what you missed!
*We are devastated at the earthquake crisis in Haiti and unfolding number of losses. One of the greatest needs in Haiti now is for meals ready to eat (MREs). There are a number of charitable organizations, NGOs, international NGOs, private companies and individuals who are mobilizing resources to assist. No matter how small, any contribution can help save a life.*
CLICK HERE for the full recipe for Zucchini & Mushroom pie after the jump!
Zucchini & Mushroom with sour cream Pie
servings 10 to 12 two-inch pies, depending on the depth of the tin
* 150g mushrooms (5.25 oz)
* 1 medium to large zucchini
* 1/2 onion (200g)
* 1/2 cup sour cream (150g)
* 2 tbsp capers ( 25g)
* 3 tbsp chopped fresh dill (1/10 bundle)
* salt and pepper to taste
- Chop up veggies pretty big
- Saute veggies, mushrooms and then capers.
- Add sour cream and dill after the filling cools.
- Mix
Dough:
The dough we use is actually not so much a pie crust as it is a savory tart dough. It’s somewhere between a puff pastry and a pie crust. It’s kind of the classic ratio of 3-2-1. 3 parts flour to 2 parts butter to 1 part water. We cut the butter back to be slightly less than 2 parts but if you’re only making a few – go for the gusto.
To make enough for somewhere around 10 to 12 pies, with lids:
150ml water (0.6 cups)
455g flour (1.99 cups)
300g unsalted butter (1.3 cups)
1tsp salt
1. Dissolve salt in water.
2. In food processor, add flour. Cut butter into chunks and add to flour. Pulse until large crumbs form and chunks of butter are about the size of peas.
3. Add water and pulse for a few seconds until the dough begins to come together in a ball. There should still be chunks.
4. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 2 balls. Smash them into discs and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill for a couple hours before rolling out.
Assembling and baking the pie:
We use mini tart molds for our veggie pies and muffin tins for our meat pies. I prefer the muffin tins because they’re non-stick, easy to clean and easy to work with in one big piece. We use 2 sizes of round pastry cutters to cut the bottoms and tops of the pie. For the larger pies, I think the cutters we use are somewhere around 5″ for the large bottoms and 3″ for the smaller top pieces. (it’s not that big of a deal if they’re too big because the dough is so good you won’t mind having extra!
*When you roll out the dough, you don’t want it too thin, but also don’t want it too thick. Somewhere around 2-3mm is a good thickness.
Roll the dough, cut the bottom rounds, place them loosely in the tins and scoop in a heap of the filling.
Brush the rim with some egg wash and then place the top on. Crimp the edges with your fingers and then brush the top with egg yolk wash.
Bake at 350f for around 30 minutes. You may need more or less time, depending on your oven.
