Nancys Olecarrot Pie Recipes

Steps:

• Make the dough: In a food processor, pulse together the flour, sugar and salt. Add butter and pulse until the mixture forms lima bean-size pieces. Alternatively, mix together flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl, then add butter, working the pieces into the flour with your hands, squeezing and pinching them until the mixture looks like oatmeal.
• Add egg, egg white and lemon zest, and pulse after each addition. If working by hand, whisk together egg, egg white and lemon zest in a separate bowl, then mix into the butter mixture. Slowly add iced wine, 1 tablespoon at a time, and pulse or mix by hand until the dough just comes together. You may not need all the liquid. The dough should be moist, but not wet.
• Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and gather and press it into a ball. Divide into 2 portions, one slightly larger than the other, and shape into disks. Wrap the disks tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 5 days.
• When ready to bake, heat oven to 375 degrees.
• Make the filling: If your ricotta seems watery, put it in a sieve and let it drain while you cook the spinach.
• In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add spinach and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes. Stir in garlic and a large pinch of salt, and continue to cook until spinach is very dry, about 2 minutes longer. Transfer to a large bowl to cool. If any liquid accumulates as the spinach sits, pour it out of the bowl (you don't want it to water down the ricotta).
• In a food processor, purée drained ricotta and eggs until just combined and smooth. Add to the bowl with the spinach and fold in mozzarella, pecorino, ham (if using), parsley, black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon salt, red-pepper flakes and nutmeg. Set aside when rolling out dough (or chill for up to 4 hours).
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out the larger pastry dough disk to a 14-inch circle, about 1/8-inch thick. Fit dough into a 9-inch springform pan, pressing the dough up the sides of the pan. Scrape filling into crust and spread evenly. Roll out second pastry disk to a 12-inch circle, about 1/8-inch thick. Cut 1/2-inch-wide strips and weave into a lattice on top of the filling. Seal, trim and crimp the edges. Brush the top of the torta with the egg wash.
• Place torta on sheet pan and bake until crust is crisp and brown, and filling is firm, 50 to 60 minutes. Cool on a rack for at least 45 minutes before serving.

Steps:

• Put the raspberries, lemon juice and 1/3 cup of the granulated sugar in a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat until the berries are soft and the liquid has thickened, about 15 minutes. Let cool to room temperature.
• Combine the ricotta cheese, cream cheese, vanilla and remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar in a bowl and stir until smooth.
• Whisk together the egg and 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl for the egg wash; set aside. In a separate small bowl, combine the sanding sugar with the cinnamon; set aside.
• Fill a Dutch oven or deep fryer with the oil and heat to 325 degrees F.
• Dust a work surface with flour, roll half of the pie dough to 1/4-inch thickness and then cut out five 5-inch circles. Spoon a heaping tablespoon of the ricotta-cream cheese mixture onto one side of each circle, leaving about a 1-inch space from the edge. Top with a heaping teaspoon of the raspberry mixture, then brush the bottom edge of each pie with the egg wash and fold over to make a half-moon. Use a fork to press around the edges. Repeat with the remaining dough, filling and egg wash.
• Working in batches, fry the pies until golden and crisp, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate and sprinkle with the sugar and cinnamon mixture.
• In a food processor, add the flour, granulated sugar, cinnamon and salt and pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the butter is coated with flour and is still in chunks, 3 to 4 times. Slowly pulse in the water until the dough holds together when squeezed between your fingers.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, divide into 2 equal parts, shape each into a disk and wrap with plastic. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Steps:

• For the pie crust: Combine the flour, sugar and salt in the bowl of the food processor and give it a quick pulse to blend the ingredients. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture looks like crumbly sand. Add the cheese and pulse again until combined and cheese is worked into the mixture and cut into small chunks. Turn the mixture out into a bowl, drizzle in 6 tablespoons cold water, and mix in with a rubber spatula until the flour is moistened. Add another tablespoon of water, only if needed. Divide the dough in half, shape each half into a ball and flatten to a disc. Rest the dough to relax the gluten, 30 minutes.
• For the filling: Combine the Granny Smith apples, Braeburn apples, sugar, flour, light brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg in a large bowl and toss to combine.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Adjust the baking racks to the center of the oven.
• Roll out 1 disc of the dough on a lightly floured surface to a 12-inch round. Transfer to a 9-inch pie dish. Add the apples in an even layer and dot with the butter. Lightly brush the edges with egg wash. Roll out the next dough round, slightly smaller than the first. Cover the top of the apples with the second pie dough, pressing the edges to seal the crust. Trim the crust so you are left with a 1-inch overhang. Tuck the crust underneath itself so it's flush with the edge of the pie plate. Crimp the edges decoratively. Brush the pie with the egg wash and sprinkle with the turbinado sugar. Make 5 air slits in the center of the pie. Place the pie on baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes.
• Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F and bake for 45 minutes longer. Cool to room temperature, at least 3 hours, before slicing.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Steam carrots until soft but not mushy. Cool slightly.
• Place carrots in food processor and puree until smooth. Add honey, eggs, butter or margarine, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, and walnuts. Blend until smooth. Pour mixture into a large bowl.
• In a separate bowl combine brown sugar and white sugar, mixing well to get all lumps out. Fold sugar mixture gradually into carrot mixture until well incorporated. Pour mixture into partially baked pie shell.
• Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 70 minutes, until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Serve pie warm or cold. Refrigerate any leftovers.

Steps:

• Cut shortening into flour with a pastry blender or with two butter knives until it resembles a coarse meal.
• Add cold water gradually and mix until the flour/shortening comes together to form a ball that holds its shape and is not sticky. If necessary, add more water or flour.
• Divide ball in two, and roll each separately into a circle large enough to fit your pie pan.
• For a double crust filled pie, place one shell into pie pan. Add pie filling and top with other crust. Bake as directed on pie filling recipe.
• For 2 single crust pies, place each shell into 2 pie pans, add filling and bake as directed on pie filling recipe.
• For 2 single crust pre-baked shells, place each shell into a pie pan and bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes or until golden brown. Cool before filling.