Decorative Crust with Tara Jensen of Smoke Signals Baking

Tara Jensen and I both lived in Burlington, Vermont around the same time and had many of the same friends. I had heard about her and her art through various pals, but strangely our paths never crossed. Then she moved to North Carolina, and I moved to North Carolina and then left North Carolina, and  unknowingly we gathered more common friends along the way. Then somehow through the small mediated world we know as Instagram, we made a connection. It took a few weeks of oggling the rustic bread loves and incredibly artful pie crusts of "bakerhands" before I realized who was behind it all, and then it all seemed to make sense.

Tara now owns and operates Smoke Signals Baking in Marshall, NC, just outside of Asheville. Tara comes to baking from a background in art (as evidenced by her beautiful work in pastry), and approaches her bakery as "a living entity that combines food, writing, and photography." I asked Tara if she would share a tutorial on her decorative crust tops and tell us a little bit about her baking practice. You can find her lovely and inspiring words and photographs below.



What is it about pie making that's inspiring?

I came into making pies a few Thanksgivings ago. I wanted to offer my customers something special so I started making sweet potato pies from the potatoes we grew on the farm. After a long day of difficult bread baking I turned towards my pie orders and felt a sense of relief. Pie was the kind friend I was looking for in the kitchen. I find pie to be a forgiving and creative process with the pleasure of immediate gratification. Bread feels so rugged and demanding, yet pie proposed a chance to be delicate, feminine even. And of course, sweet.

How has your background as an artist influenced you?

I enjoyed success as an artist through my twenties, but when I decided to turn my life over to baking and farming, making art took a back seat. This wasn't a painful transition; I was ready to welcome a new chapter of my life. I began to feel strongly that my entire life became my creative project and what made me an artist was not so much what I made materially in the world, but rather my perspective.

It's been a few years now since I've painted or attempted a drawing, but when I hold the pastry wheel and slice through a nicely-made dough I feel the same thrill and expression as when I would strike out on a fresh piece of white paper. There are movements of the wrist and body that I will always go to when making a shape or a line. Treating the pie dough like a creative material, rather than food, was helpful to making all kinds of patterns, designs, and forms. I also think there is no wrong way of making a pie or any kind of way a pie should be, which frees me up to experiment, fail, and learn about myself along the way.

Decorative Crust: A Tutorial

The top crust of your pie affords you a moment of reflection. The bottom crust is done, the filling has been prepared and you are left with a final canvas of flour and butter. When I would paint my favorite creative time was after the majority of the legwork was done and I got to sit back and decide where to put that final speck, that last mark which was going to tie it all together. I love the top crust because it's that special space, when most of the heavy lifting is done, when one can look with a discerning and excited eye.

I get really jazzed about decorating my pie tops. I like to clean up the kitchen first. Maybe make another pot of coffee. Definitely find the right song. Step outside the hot kitchen and look at the sky. And then just r e l a x. After I roll out the initial top, upon which I'll assemble different shapes, I imgine I'm cutting paper and let my hands guide me to whatever shapes they want to make. Think of pie dough as your material and egg wash as your glue. You can be literal or abstract. The goal is to have a little joy and embrace the process. There's no right or wrong here.

Things you'll need: 

Egg wash

Pastry brush

Knife

One fully filled pie ready for a top!

Things you might also want: 

Pinking shears

Cookie cutters

Pastry wheel

Ruler

1. When you roll out your pie crust for the bottom, save any scraps.

2. Fill your pie. Now you can either make a top with a traditional cover boasting fun shapes or cut outs, or you can make a top by assembling many small pieces to cover the filling.

3. I like to put on a whole top-- makes it feel like a blank page to me. Be mindful when rolling out the dough for your decorative pieces to roll it relatively thin. That way you can do several layers and you won't end up with a top crust three inches thick and hard to bake thoroughly. Also keep in mind that shapes or pieces that stand tall above the rest of the pie will brown quickly.

4. Roll out the extra dough you've saved and go to town! Let your hand make whatever shapes it wants. I go for long lines and organic looking leaves. If you need a warm up try drawing on a huge piece of butcher paper to get your wrist in the mood. You can cut the dough with a knife, with scissors, cookie cutters, or with a pastry wheel: choose one or try them all.

5. Brush wherever you are going to lay down dough with an egg wash. The possibilities here are endless. I don't start with an idea; I just start cutting up the dough and place it randomly, letting a pattern, design, or image emerge. Express yourself!

6. I give the final pie one more light brush of egg wash and dust it with coarse sugar to add some sparkle. Bake it and eat with friends or alone, in between dance breaks to your favorite song*.

*My current favorite song: Take this Waltz by Leonard Cohen

Thanks so much to Tara Jensen for sharing this tutorial, photos, and bit of inspiration . You can find more of Tara's words and photos via her website, tumblr, and instagram.

Nothing-in-the-House Pie Crust Recipe--Illustrated!

For a little over a week now this URL to "Another Kitchen Blog" kept coming up as a referring site in my blog stats. But I couldn't figure out why! (The English translation had not yet been added). Of course I loved the adorable pie crust recipe illustration, but my eyes got lost amidst the Italian words, and it took me a few visits until I finally spotted a few familiar English ones--"nothing in the house". I sent the link to my friend Marina for translation. She replied with the answer:

"I have started to illustrate the recipes I try. Here is one from Nothing in the House, (which, if you're looking for tarts and pies, is an excellent find.)" Then she illustrates your simple crust recipe.

Amazing! The Nothing-in-the-House pie crust recipe, now in Italian--and illustrated! I just love the style--the handwritten European script, the little salt shaker, the bottle of apple cider vinegar, the finished heaping pie--I wish I could hang a print of it in my kitchen! I'm so flattered that Anna chose to illustrate my recipe and I can't wait to see more as she posts them. In the meantime check out this one for... forgive my Italian... leek croquettes?!

Raspberry Tart for Michelle's Birthday!

Last night was Michelle's birthday, so I made her a raspberry tart, with berries we had picked the night before at Intervale Community Farm.


I found the recipe from Gourmet Magazine, and followed it pretty closely. I followed the recipe for the pastry crust, and it turned out well and sweeter (more tart-appropriate) than my standard pie crust recipe. The standard pie crust recipe would have worked here though, and would probably have been a little flakier and would have contrasted nicely with the sweetness of the filling and berries.

Rasbperry Tart 
 from Gourmet Magazine/Food Network Online

Crust:

1 1/4 c. flour

1/4 c. sugar

1 stick butter, cold and sliced

3 Tblsp. cold water

Filling:

8-oz. cream cheese ( I used the Nancy's cultured kind)

1/2 c. sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1 egg

1 Tblsp. flour

1/4 c. seedless rasperry jam (I used Trappist)

1 Tblsp. water

3 c. fresh raspberries

Recipe:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Make crust: blend flour, sugar and butter with a pastry cutter, until mix looks like coarse meal. Add 2 Tblsp. water and toss until incorporated. Mix with hands until mixture is consistent, but crumly. Refrigerate (if time!) for one hour.

Press crust into bottom of tart or pie pan (I didn't have a tart pan with fluted rim, but it sure would have looked nice!). Prick crust with fork and weigh with pie weights or beans (I used popcorn kernels) and bake 30 minutes, until golden.

Make filling: With electric mixer, beat together cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and egg until smooth. Add flour mixture and blend well.

Pour filling into warm crust, spread evenly, and bake for 20 minutes until set. Cool tart.

Heat jam with water in small saucepan. Stir until melted and smooth. Cool jam.

Arrange rasperries on top of tart, and brush them with jam.

VOILA!

Apple Pie: The Quest For Success!

how do ya like them apples?

Last Saturday, Louis, Marina and I met Carrie and Dana at Shelburne Orchards for some apple picking. There we ran into Nick, the quirky gentle giant and owner of the orchards who plays in a bluegrass band called "The Meat Packers." He knows us a little bit from when we (Hammer & Saw) played at the Small Farms Food Fest this September. We got to talking about pie, and I noticed a beaming twinkle in his eye, "I LOVE making pies," he exclaimed in his squeaky voice, unexpectedly high(though perfect for bluegrass) for such a giant of a man. "ME TOO." I told him--(*BING!* kindred spirit alert!) He put his arm around me, "I like you more and more." He then turned to Louis, "Do you make pies too?" he hesitated..."eh..sometimes." Louis had hardly uttered his reply when Nick gave a huff and completely turned his back. "Let's talk about pies," he said to me, as if we were in some secret society. I told him I wasn't completely satisfied yet with my apple pie, and he proceeded to give me detailed instructions--secrets not mentioned on his pie recipe featured on the orchard's apple bags. When he was finished, I promised him I'd let him know how it all turned out. So here it is. I followed most of his directions, though I kept my crust recipe basically intact and added my own twist. 

Nick's Apple Pie 

For the pie crust
makes 2 crusts, 1 double-crust apple pie

In a large mixing bowl, combine:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
1/2 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt

In a small bowl mix:
1/2 beaten egg (save other half to brush on top of crust)
1/4 cup ice cold water
1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

add:
1 1/2 sticks cold butter (cut into slices)

As per Nick's instructions, everything must be cold. Make a pond in the middle of the flour mixture for the liquid mixture. Add the cut up butter and salt. With 2 butter knives or a pastry cutter(Nick prefer's knives), chop the butter into the flour mixture, using the knife to keep the water from running off. Chop until mixed, but not overly mixed--the butter chunks are what makes the crust flaky! Knead into ball, cover and cool in fridge.

For the filling
Preheat oven to 350 degrees

8 good size apples, cored, peeled?(I like to leave the skins on. It saves time and is the most nutritious part of the apple, though some people are opposed to this practice) and cut into 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch pieces.
very lightly simmer in large skillet with....
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup maple syrup
cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice to taste
1 tablespoon instant tapioca
Simmer until apples have just barely softened
Let cool.

Directions
Take the ball of crust dough and cut in half. There should be enough in each half for a bottom crust and a top crust. Roll the first one out using extra flower on the rolling pin(or wine bottle if you don't have one!), and on the dough. When the size is right, (10’ circle for a 9’ pie.) brush off extra flour and set in the greased and floured pie plate. Add the apple mix, slightly wet the top edge of the bottom crust, lay on the top crust , pinch and trim. Then with thumb and first finger of right hand and thumb of left hand or a fork, work your way around the crust pushing the edge between your fingers making a ruffled edge. Slice holes in the top of the crust for air to escape and add your personal design. Put the pie in the oven, 35 to 40 minutes. Check for doneness by poking a fork through one of the holes in the top into an apple piece inside to see if it is soft but not sauce.

Special crust treatment
Soften 3 tablespoons of butter. mix with remaining egg. If the butter is soft enough, this mixture can be brushed right on the crust while the crust is hot, Brush it right on the ruffles and all over the top after 15 to 20 minutes of cooking. Nick said to do this 15 minutes through the cooking time, otherwise the crust absorbs the butter and doesn't produce the glossy glow! Sprinkle turbinado sugar over this and return to the oven. When the pie is done the crust will be slightly golden brown and the filling will bubble and ooze a little. Let cool... and eat!

Here's the result of my first attempt with this recipe. I served it at the Superior Concept Monsters workday at Rokeby this Saturday--eaten around a bonfire in the milkbarn yard. I think my apple pie is on its way up.

A Word on Crust

Emmy Lou introduced me to this crust recipe when we started making pies together last summer. I think it's one of the best crust recipes I've ever come across. The apple cider vinegar makes the crust flakier, sort of like the 7-up in the first post, w/out the sugary 7-up flavor. As with any pie crust, it's probably best to let the dough chill a little bit in the fridge (maybe half an hour) before rolling it out; firmer dough means easier handling. However, I've had mysterious & disasterous results with over-chilling pie dough. Seems like if I leave a hunk of dough in the fridge overnight & try to use it the next day it's tough to roll out & becomes stretchy & shrinks when it bakes! Any of you know why this happens? Well, at any rate, here's the recipe:

WORLD FAMOUS NO FAIL PIE CRUST (WITH APPLE CIDER VINEGAR, FOR A GOOD KICK IN THE TEETH)
makes 4 crusts, which means two double-crust pies or four single crust dealies

In a large mixing bowl, combine:
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 3/4 cups shortening
2 teaspoons salt

A word on "cutting in" the shortening: the trick here is to mix the stuff in with the flour until it gets this grainy consistency. I like to do it with my hands, but you can use a couple butter knives if you don't like getting up to your elbows in pie crust. Mash & separate the shortening into little bits and mix it in with the flour. The shortening's cut in when it's pulverized into pea-sized to marble-sized (probably no bigger than that) clumps. 

Okay, now you'll have to add:
1 beaten egg
1/2 cup water
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Again, I like to mix the dough with my hands, but a wooden spoon will also do the trick. You might want to knead the dough with your hands in order to mix in the remainder of the dry ingredients, though. Don't worry about mixing in bigger clumps of shortening. They'll turn into light, flaky layers when the pie bakes.

And that's it! I like to sprinkle turbinado sugar on top of the pie crust, to give it a crunch. You can also brush the top crust with beaten egg before popping it in the oven for a glossy effect. I'm interested in hearing more tips! Please comment if you have any.

--MK