FOR THE LOVE OF PIE — a series that celebrates the simple things. Today,
Tim and his Apricot Crumble Pie.
‹‹‹‹‹‹‹‹‹‹‹‹‹‹ I first came across Tim's blog,
Lottie + Doof by way of happenstance. I'd googled the words,
favourite cake one afternoon and Tim's blogged popped up. Soon after that, Tim's
favourite cake became one of my favourite cakes. I guess googling isn't really happenstance per se, but the introduction to his blog by way of cake kinda feels that way. Since starting baking I can remember wanting to try other people's favourites. I love the idea of a family recipe or a passed down classic. I want to know the cake your grandma used to make, the recipe the baker down the road gave you or even that one from your long lost aunt. To me, recipes are sorta like the foundation of sharing food, they get us to the table and they get us talking. Find a little more about Tim and his recipe below. xo, n
WHO? Tim Mazurek WHAT KIND? Apricot Crumble Pie!
WHERE? Here, there, anywhere. I think it would be a delicious end to a barbecue, served with glasses of iced black tea. But I've been known to eat it for breakfast, too. It is nice eaten on a porch.
WHY? This is an old
Ruth Reichl recipe. If you've ever seen her make it, you'll want to, too. She's so easy-breezy, ripping the apricots in half and tossing them into the pie shell without a care in the world. I try to channel her energy when making this pie, I think it improves the overall product.
BEST SERVED WITH? Best served in the summer, when apricots are flooding your local market. I like it with a little whipped cream, but it is perfect on its own. Make sure you have friends to eat it with, the pie is best in the first 24 hours.
ONE OR TWO THINGS: I love a lot about the Midwest, but I especially love fireflies. My favorite thing to do at this time of year is to walk around our neighborhood as the sun sets, eating an ice cream cone, wowed by the lights of fireflies that are all around. It is magic.
RECIPE: Apricot Pie by Ruth Reichl 1 recipe pie dough for 9-inch single crust pie (you can use your favorite) 2 pounds apricots 1 stick (4oz) butter, melted 1/4 cup granulated sugar 1/2 cup light brown sugar 3/4 cup flour 1/3 cup sliced almonds fresh nutmeg -Roll out your pie dough, fit it into a 9 inch pie pan, crimp the edges and put it into the freezer for at least15 minutes (I sometimes do this the day before and freeze overnight) while you preheat the oven to 425 F. -Pull the apricots apart with your fingers; do not peel them, but remove the pits. -Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Stir in the sugars, then the flour. Add the sliced almonds and grate in some nutmeg, stir to combine. -Put the apricots into the unbaked shell. Cover them with the sugar mixture and put the pie on the bottom rack of your oven. -Bake for 10 minutes and then turn the heat down to 375 and bake for 35 or 45 minutes more, until the top is crusty and golden. -Transfer to a rack or windowsill and cool before serving.
ps: Tim and I have got to chatting since my favourite cake discovery. For a little while there we talked about about
cookies and another time about a
little bowl for a very special day. But I've yet to tell him that I can't get this
quinine syrup off my mind.
Photos in this post by Tim Mazurek