Today is the five-year anniversary of “Bite by Bite” and that amazes me.
When the local newspaper publisher contacted me in early 2020 saying she wanted to start a food page in the paper and that someone had suggested me as the possible candidate, I was flattered yet nervous too. It sounded like a fun, new challenge, but would I have time for it? Little did I know then just how much time I’d soon have as we collectively entered the global pandemic.
I never imagined being a “food writer,” yet I have thoroughly enjoyed it. It’s been quite fun, though it is occasionally challenging and has definitely pushed me out of my comfort zone more than once. I’ve said before that I have no formal training when it comes to cooking. I’m simply a home cook who enjoys the myriad food-related TV shows, blogs and podcasts available to us today.
I wrote about pie in my first “Bite by Bite” because it was published on March 15, 2020, the day after Pi Day on March 14. Therefore, it has become my tradition to write about pie each year for the anniversary. I started off with sweet pies, naturally, and then threw a few savory pies into the mix as well. I’ve written about Texas Trash Pie, Pina Colada Icebox Pie, Creamy Hazelnut Pie, Classic Chicken Pot Pie, Grapefruit Lime Pie, Cheeseburger Pie and Atlantic Beach Pie.
I found an article called “55 Tasty Pie Recipes for Bakers of All Skill Levels” on foodnetwork.com and studied it for a few days before making a decision about this year’s pie. Because I have been super busy lately with several big work projects, I inadvertently waited until the last minute. There wasn’t time for both a sweet pie and a savory pie, thus making my decision even more crucial.
I found one called “Ruffled Milk Pie” that was absolutely stunning in the accompanying photograph. Evidently, it is based on the Greek dessert galatopita and is reminiscent of the Egyptian dessert Mesh Om Ali, of which I’m not familiar with either. What sold me, however, was when it said the result “tastes like a churro meets crème brûlée.” How could that not be anything short of wonderful?!
Then I ran across another called “Bottle of Wine Chocolate Pie.” I’m a lifelong chocolate-lover – and also enjoy occasional glasses of wine – so when I read that this dark chocolate pie contains an entire bottle of wine, it definitely piqued my curiosity.
I vacillated between the two briefly, but the decision was ultimately made due to time restraints. Upon further review, I saw that the “Ruffled Milk Pie” takes two hours and 25 minutes (including cooling time), with an hour and 10 minutes of that being “active” time, and the “Bottle of Wine Chocolate Pie” takes five hours and 30 minutes (including cooling and chilling time), with 25 minutes of that being “active” time.
So that, my friends, is how we ended up with “Bottle of Wine Chocolate Pie” today. It’s delightfully rich and decadent and if you like chocolate and wine, then this will be right up your alley. However, I’m also including the recipe for the “Ruffled Milk Pie” in the event any of you have the time or inclination to try it. And if you do – please bring me a slice. The Polk County Enterprise office is located at 100 E. Calhoun.
Happy Pi Day and Happy 5th Anniversary “Bite by Bite!”
From foodnetwork.com
Crust:
Filling:
For the crust: Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees.
Toss together the cookie crumbs, butter, sugar and salt in a medium bowl. Press into the bottom and sides of a 9-inch deep-dish pie pan. Bake until dry and set, 15 to 18 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
For the filling: Combine the cornstarch and 1¼ cups of the sugar in a medium saucepan and very slowly whisk in the wine to prevent lumps from forming. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it has come to a simmer and is very thick, about 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the chocolate, butter and salt until smooth. Pour the filling into the cooled crust and refrigerate until chilled and set, about 4 hours and up to overnight.
Right before serving, whip the cream with the remaining 3 tablespoons sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Top the pie with the whipped cream. Scatter the chocolate curls or sprinkles over the top, if using.
My notes:
In the interest of time, I used a store bought chocolate cookie crust instead of making my own.
Additionally, having read several reviews before making it, I learned that this recipe calls for a deep dish pie pan and most store bought chocolate cookie crusts are not deep dish. Therefore, if you go this route, pick up two crusts because there will be enough filling to make two pies.
From foodnetwork.com
Position a rack in the lower third of the oven, place a baking sheet on the rack and preheat to 350 degrees.
Brush a 9½-inch deep-dish pie plate (preferably with ruffled edges) with some of the melted butter. Stir together the cinnamon and 2 tablespoons plus 1½ teaspoons of the sugar in a small bowl. Set aside.
Place the sheets of phyllo on a baking sheet and cover with a barely damp kitchen towel or several paper towels to keep from drying out.
Place 1 sheet of phyllo dough with a long side closest to you on a work surface. Brush the phyllo sheet with some of the melted butter until completely coated, then sprinkle with ¾ teaspoon of the cinnamon-sugar. Using your hands, gently bring the long sides toward one another, scrunching the phyllo as you go to create a ruffled effect. Gently coil the phyllo into a rose shape about 3½-inches in diameter. Place the phyllo rose in one corner of the pie plate. Repeat to make 3 more phyllo roses. Arrange them so they fill the bottom of the pie plate in a single layer. If the phyllo dough tears or breaks, it is okay since it will just add to the ruffled effect of the final pie. If there are any spaces between the phyllo roses, gently spread them with your hands until the roses cover the entire bottom of the pie plate.
Brush the 8 remaining phyllo sheets with melted butter, sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar and shape into a slightly smaller rose (2½ to 3-inches). Place 1 rose in the center of the pie plate on top of the first layer, then surround it with the remaining 7 roses. If there is any remaining melted butter, drizzle it on top of the roses.
Bake on the preheated baking sheet until deep golden brown and crispy, 25 to 30 minutes, rotating the baking sheet once after 15 minutes. Allow to cool slightly on the baking sheet while you prepare the custard.
Place the milk and cream in a medium saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until it just starts to steam, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat. Whisk together the vanilla, salt, eggs and remaining ⅓ cup sugar in a large bowl. While whisking constantly, gradually add the milk and cream mixture a little bit at a time until smooth and combined.
Pour or spoon the custard between the crispy phyllo layers; this will ensure that the phyllo on top stays nice and crispy. Bake until the filling is just set, 20 to 25 minutes, rotating the baking sheet after 10 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheet for 30 minutes. Sprinkle with the almonds if using and dust with confectioners’ sugar. Cut into 8 wedges and serve warm.
