Farmland Vegetable Pie: 2000s Recipes + Menus : gourmet.com

2000s Recipes + Menus

Serves6 to 8

Active time:45 min
Start to finish:2 hr

August 2008

With all the amazing fresh produce available at this time of year, we always find ourselves facing the same dilemma: Which delicious, sun-warmed vegetable shall we choose tonight? But when food editor Ian Knauer threw the whole farm stand into a cornmeal crust, it took us only one bite to realize that he had solved the problem once and for all.

For filling

1 1/2 lb yellow squash, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 bunch scallions, chopped, keeping greens separate
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 lb okra, trimmed and sliced
1 lb yellow tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1/2 cup corn kernels (from 1 ear)
1 1/2 cups coarsely grated Havarti or Muenster cheese (4 1/2 oz)
1 cup chopped basil
1 tablespoon cornmeal (not stone-ground)
4 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and chopped

For crust

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3/4 cup whole milk plus additional for brushing

Make filling:

Place a heavy baking sheet on middle rack of oven, then preheat oven to 400°F.
Toss squash with 1 tsp salt, then drain in a colander 30 minutes. Pat squash dry.
Cook scallions (except greens) and garlic in oil with 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until golden, 4 to 6 minutes. Add squash and okra and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are crisp-tender, 7 to 9 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in tomatoes.
Transfer to a large bowl, then toss with corn, cheese, basil, cornmeal, and scallion greens. Season with salt and pepper.

Make crust and bake pie:

Pulse dry ingredients with butter in a food processor until mixture resembles coarse meal with some roughly pea-size butter lumps. Transfer to a bowl and stir in milk until mixture just forms a dough.
Gather dough into a ball and chill, wrapped in plastic wrap, 5 minutes.
Halve dough and roll out 1 piece on a well-floured surface with a floured rolling pin into a 13-inch round. Transfer to a 9-inch glass pie plate, leaving overhang.
Spread eggs evenly in crust and season with 1/4 tsp salt. Add vegetable filling, mounding slightly in middle.
Roll out remaining dough in same manner and place over filling. Trim, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang. Press edges of crust together. Fold overhang under and crimp edge all around.
Brush crust with additional milk, then cut 3 steam vents.
Bake until crust is golden and filling is bubbling, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Cool at least 15 minutes before slicing. Serve warm or at room temperature.