Pie is not only for dessert. For main meals, a savory double-crust pie is also called “potpie.” Mashed potatoes are the top crust for shepherd’s pie. A quiche (keesh) is a single-crust pie made with vegetables, cheese, and eggs.
What You Need
Equipment:
Pie pan
Cutting board
Sharp knife
Butter knife
Frying pan
Spatula
Ingredients:
2 ready-made piecrusts
1 small head of green cabbage
½ pound mushrooms
1 small yellow onion
3 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon basil
½ teaspoon marjoram
½ teaspoon tarragon
4 ounces cream cheese, softened (left out of the refrigerator until it reaches room temperature)
4 to 5 hard-boiled eggs
1 tablespoon fresh dill* weed, finely chopped
What to Do
Shred the cabbage. Dice the onion. Slice the mushrooms.
Melt butter in frying pan.
Sauté vegetables for 3–5 minutes.
Add salt, pepper, and herbs (except dill). Stir. Turn off the heat.
Peel and slice hard-boiled eggs.
Place the bottom piecrust in the pie pan. Fill the pie: Spread the cream cheese on the bottom. Place the egg slices on top of the cream cheese. Sprinkle the dill on top of the eggs. Add the sautéed vegetables.
Place the top crust over the pie. To trim, cut off the extra crust with a knife. The crust should be the same size as the pie pan. If any crust hangs over the edge, trim it off with a knife.
Crimp* the piecrust edges. Make slices in top crust. (Slices let steam escape during baking.)
Bake at 400°F (205°C) for 15 minutes. Turn oven down to 350°F (180°C). Bake 20 to 25 minutes longer, until the pie is golden.
Cook’s Tip 1
Clean mushrooms by brushing the dirt off with a soft brush or paper towel or by washing gently. Cut off the very bottom of the stem and throw it away, then use the rest.
Cook’s Tip 2
To hard-boil eggs, place in cold water. Turn heat onto high and boil for 2 minutes. Turn off heat. Let eggs sit in the hot water for 10 minutes. Place in cold water to cool.
Peeling an egg is easier if you hit the eggshell gently on the counter to crack it all over, then peel off the shell under running water.