Crunchy Salty Sweet

Listen. I’m not telling you to go through all the effort required to make this pie. I’m just saying that multiple people who ate this pie told me it was their new favorite dessert.

So, you decide.

(Make the damn pie. It’s delicious.)

To make the dough, whisk together the flour and salt. Add in the cubed cold butter. With your hands or a pastry cutter, work the butter into the dough. The butter should be in pea to marble size pieces when done.  Add in 3 tablespoons of ice water and stir. Keep adding water, 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough just forms and there are few dry spots.

On a lightly floured surface, dump out your dough ball and form it into a disk.  Wrap the disk and place into the fridge for at least 1 hour.

Separate 1 egg and whisk the white with 1 tablespoon water (reserve the egg yolk). Roll out your pie crust until it’s about 9 inches wide. Place the pie dough into your pie dish and poke holes into the crust with a fork. Brush the egg white around the edge of the crust. Refrigerate the dough for another 30 minutes minimum.

Preheat the oven to 400.

Place a piece of parchment over the top of the dough, and using a pie weight (or beans) place the pie crust into the oven and blind bake for 18-22 minutes. Reduce the oven to 375, remove the pie weights (and poke down with a fork if any bubbles have formed), and bake for another 8-12 minutes until the edges are lightly browned.

WHEW. Okay. Finally – onto the pie.

Reduce the oven to 325.

In a large bowl, whisk together the sugars, cornmeal, flour, and salt.

Add in the 3 egggs and reserved egg yolk, the citrus zests and juices, and vanilla. Finally, whisk in the cooled, melted butter.

Honestly, the mixture is gonna look a little weird. Don’t fret – it will all work out in the end!

Place your blind-baked crust onto a baking sheet (for easier transport). Pour the filling into the crust.

Bake until the top is slightly golden and the center jiggles slightly at the touch, which will take around 45 minutes.

Let cool on rack and then place into the fridge to cool completely.

Keep in the fridge until you’re ready to serve. Dust with powdered sugar through a fine sieve.

Pie can be stored, covered in the fridge for up to 1 week.

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Adapted from: Martha Stewart (and New York Times Perfect Pie Crust)

Prep: 2 hours, Cook: 1 hour, Total: 3 hours

Makes: 8-10 servings

Crust:

• 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, cold, cubed into 1/2 inch pieces
• 1/4 to 1/3 cup ice water

Pie Filling:

• 1 egg white
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon fine cornmeal
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3 eggs plus 1 egg yolk
• 6 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
• 1 tablespoon citrus zest (I used 1/2 an orange, 1 lemon, 1 lime)
• 1/2 cup citrus juice (1/2 an orange, 1 lemon, 1 lime)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons powdered sugar, for dusting

To make the dough, whisk together the flour and salt. Add in the cubed cold butter. With your hands or a pastry cutter, work the butter into the dough. The butter should be in pea to marble size pieces when done.

Add in 3 tablespoons of ice water and stir. Keep adding water, 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough just forms and there are few dry spots.

On a lightly floured surface, dump out your dough ball and form it into a disk.

Wrap the disk and place into the fridge for at least 1 hour.

Separate 1 egg and whisk the white with 1 tablespoon water (reserve the egg yolk).

Roll out your pie crust until it’s about 9 inches wide.

Place the pie dough into your pie dish and poke holes into the crust with a fork. Brush the egg white around the edge of the crust.

Refrigerate the dough for another 30 minutes minimum.

Preheat the oven to 400.

Place a piece of parchment over the top of the dough, and using a pie weight (or beans) place the pie crust into the oven and blind bake for 18-22 minutes.

Reduce the oven to 375, remove the pie weights (and poke down with a fork if any bubbles have formed), and bake for another 8-12 minutes until the edges are lightly browned.

Reduce the oven to 325.

In a large bowl, whisk together the sugars, cornmeal, flour, and salt. Add in the 3 egggs and reserved egg yolk, the citrus zests and juices, and vanilla. Finally, whisk in the cooled, melted butter.

Pour the filling into the blind-baked crust until the top is slightly golden and the center jiggles slightly at the touch, which will take around 45 minutes.

Let cool on rack and then place into the fridge to cool completely.

Keep in the fridge until you’re ready to serve. Dust with powdered sugar through a fine sieve.

Pie can be stored, covered in the fridge for up to 1 week.