Pear, Gruyere & Caramelized Onion Hand Pies

It feels a little disingenuous to post this without divulging that that when I made these savory pocket pies, I wasn't able to eat them.

For the past two weeks, I've been doing a detox/cleanse guided by my friend Michelle, a naturopath in Detroit. I'd been interested in doing something of the sort-- prompted by a lethargic feeling after weeks of travel with some overly-indulgent food choices as well as a cycle of bad migraines. I was interested in cleansing, but also in potentially identifying and/or eliminating some migraine triggers. I saw that Michelle was offering a guided detox and asked it I could participate from afar. I especially liked that  it offered the support of a doctor and a participant community-- even a remote one-- and I think it made me more likely to follow through and stick with it over the two weeks.

The detox worked similarly to a food elimination diet, cutting out food items that are inflamatory and/or a common source of sensitivities. That meant, roughly, no wheat, coffee, dairy, soy, sugar, alcohol, peanuts, corn, nightshades, oranges & grapefruit, and processed foods and meant a lot of fruits and vegetables, grains like quinoa and brown rice, nuts, coconut or almond milk, green tea, grass-fed meat, fermented foods, and water.

It was much easier than I imagined and I adhered to it pretty strictly, though did allow myself a glass of red wine on one or two occasions (1 being the evening after I finished moving). After I broke by caffeine/coffee addiction, which resulted in a few minor headaches, I felt really good, healthy, and energetic throughout.

I'm still in the process of adding foods back in and testing sensitivities. I know right now that I'm planning to cut out a lot of dairy, particularly heavy creams, soft cheeses, etc.--this was a sensitivity I was already fairly aware of, but the detox helped me to really see what an effect it has on my digestion, mental awareness, and general well being. I don't think I have other serious sensitivities, which I'm thankful for, but feel more conscious now of the effect that an excess of wheat and sugar has on my body as a whole, and in general am very appreciative of the consciousness and self-care approach that the detox has brought to my eating habits.

Like any time restrictions are set on creative process, I really enjoyed the way the cleanse injected some new energy and innovation into my daily cooking. Working within the detox's constraints, actually allowed me to transcend my cooking comfort zone and "same old" recipe mode, and try out some new things-- namely crispy chickpeas, quinoa-carrot-cabbage soup, and a variety of green smoothies.

That being said, I'm also excited to return to the world that includes Pear, Gruyère & Caramelized Onion Hand Pies. Quite versatile, these can serve as a breakfast, lunch (with a side salad accompaniment), or a dinner appetizer or side. I relied on friends to be taste testers and they gave it a thumbs up. Feel free to substitute the pears for apples, and the gruyère and rosemary with other cheeses and herbs.

Pear, Gruyere & Caramelized Onion Hand Pies
Makes 8-10 depending on size

Ingredients 
Nothing in the House Pie Crust
3/4 lb. (about 3) Bosch pears, cut into small wedges
1 Tablespoon. olive oil
1 yellow onion, sliced thin
1/2 cup gruyère, grated
1 Tablespoon fresh rosemary
Sea salt & fresh ground pepper, to taste
1 beaten egg + 1 tsp. milk/cream for an egg wash.

Directions
1. Prepare Nothing in the House pie crust as per the directions. Once chilled, roll out dough onto a floured surface and cut into circles of equal size (mine are about 6-inches). Place cut circles on a parchment-lined baking sheet and return to the fridge while you prepare the filling.

2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Add 1 Tblsp. olive oil and sliced onions to a cast iron skillet and place over medium heat. Stir to coat onions with olive oil. Cook the onions, stirring occasionally, until translucent. Sprinkle onions with salt and pepper and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook 25-30 more minuted until onions are caramelized. 

3. Place onions in a medium sized-bowl and add pears, gruyère, rosemary, and salt & pepper to taste. Remove cut dough from fridge and add a scoop of filling to one side of every cut circle. Brush edges of dough with cold water and fold the other half of the dough over the filling to form a crescent shape. Using a fork, poke a steam vent in the top and press the edges to seal.

4. Brush hand pies with egg wash and sprinkle with flake sea salt, if desired. Bake hand pies on parchment-lined baking sheet for 35-40 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through. Crust will be golden brown when done. Transfer to a cooling rack and let cool slightly. Serve still warm.

Related recipes:
Ham, Gruyère & Caramelized Onion Galette with Fried Egg
Heirloom Tomato Pies with Bacon, Cheddar & Thai Basil Jalapenos
Pear Tarte Tatin
Savory Apple Tart with Caramelized Onion, Gruyère & Sage

Pear & Cardamom-Fig Pie

I'm about to head into the North woods again and see spring arrive for a second time. I'll explain more of what that's all about for me and this space, but in the meantime, here are some old posts from where I'll be). After bouts of very unseasonable weather here in DC-- from freezing rain to above-90 temps, we've finally hit a stride of mild spring air and sunny days, just in time for my last weekend in town for awhile.

It was a good one, headed up with a "Yappy Hour" birthday party for my friend & Pie Almanac illustrator Elizabeth and her dog Chickpea (yes, they share a birthday!). She asked me to make a pie for both of them, and I have to say, never having made a pie for a dog before, I was quite nervous for how it would be received. I'll share the recipe soon, but I have to admit, I think the bacon grease "whipped cream" topping had a lot to do with its success. Saturday afternoon we fixed up our bikes and went for a spin around the neighborhood, with a dinner stop at a Trinidadian roti shop. Then it was off to the lanes for my first duckpin bowling! There's something about the squat pins and shorter balls that make it much more fun and lighthearted than your standard bowling. Also there was an actor from The Wire at the lane next to us--an "only in Maryland" experience.

I spent most of today working on projects and doing some packing, but remembered I had this recipe for a Pear & Cardamom-Fig Pie to share. With its red-wine & cardamom poached figs, it strikes me as more of a cold weather pie than a warm one, I wanted to share it sooner, while there are still some chillier days and nights ahead. I made this for Pi(e) Day (explaining the lack of slice shots), adapted from a Martha Stewart recipe for a Pear, Fig and Walnut Pie. Unsure about "wet" walnuts, I left them out, and the substitution of cardamom pods for star anise was more out of necessity than choice, but I was quite pleased with the result. The flavor is dark and rich, with the reconstituted figs adding a nice texture contrast to the cooked pears. It would be wonderful with honey goat's milk ice cream. 

Pear & Cardamom-Fig Pie
Adapted from Martha Stewart's New Pies and Tarts

Ingredients
Nothing-in-the-House pie crust
3/4 c. Madeira wine
5 oz. (scant 2/3 c.) soft, dried Black Mission figs, stemmed & quartered
3 whole cardamom pods
3 lbs. ripe, firm Anjou pears
Juice of 1 lemon
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
3 Tblsp. cornstarch
2 Tblsp. unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 Tbslp. heavy cream, for egg wash
Turbinado sugar, for sprinkling

Directions

1. Prepare the Nothing-in-the-House pie crust as per the directions. Chill dough at least 1 hour. Once chilled, roll out 1/2 of pie crust and fit into a 9-inch greased and floured pie pan. You can choose to roll out the top-crust now and refrigerate it flat, or roll it out once you've prepared the filling. Either way, you should put both the remaining crust and the pie pan in the fridge while you prepare the filling. Reserve half-egg yolk for the egg wash.

2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a small saucepan, bring wine, figs, and cardamom pods to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until figs are softened, approximately 10-12 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer figs to a large bowl and set aside. Cook the liquid over medium heat until its reduced to a syrup, about 3 minutes. Remove the cardamom pods and discard. Pour the syrup over the figs.

3. Peel, core, and slice the pears into 1/4-inch thick wedges. Add the pears, lemon juice, sugar, salt, and cornstarch to the fig and syrup combination, stirring well to combine. Spoon the filling into the bottom pie crust, mounding it in the center. Dot the filling with butter and lightly brush the edges of the dough with water. Roll out the top crust if you haven't already (adding a decorative steam vent if you wish) and place it over the top of the filling. Crimp the edges of the crust to seal it. If you haven't cut a steam vent, do so now by cutting slits with a knife or poking all over with a fork. Whisk together the egg yolk and cream and brush all over the crust with dough, then sprinkle with sanding sugar.

4. Bake pie just until golden, about 20-25 minutes. Reduce heat to 375 degrees F and bake until the juices are bubbling and the crust is deep golden brown, about 1 hour.  Let cool about 1 hour, then serve still slightly warm.

Related recipes:
Pear, Gruyère & Caramelized Onion Hand Pies 
Pear Tarte Tatin
Strawberry-Rhubarb and Wine-Soaked Fig Rustic Tart

Pi Day (3.14): Dallas Outpost

Our Dallas, TX correspondent Shannon sent these lovely pics of her Pi Party.

sour cream pear pie

Shannon's meat pie

Christy's amazing buttermilk (shoo-fly) pie!

Dallas pi(e) party people in the PEZ (Pie Enjoyment Zone)

I'd say it's time to invite Shannon to be a Nothing-in-the-House contributor! Wouldn't you?!