Monday, February 20, 2012

52 Cookbooks - Week 19, The Moosewood Cookbook

The Moosewood Cookbook, by Mollie Katzen, looks interesting, but over the years my attempts to cook from its selection of vegetarian recipes have mostly turned out odd yet bland.

When it came up in last week's random draw, I headed straight to the dessert section, since I had an overabundance of Granny Smith apples I wanted to bake something with before they went bad. I also had an extra pie shell from when I made chocolate-pecan pie back at Christmastime, so my selection was a no-brainer:

Apple Custard Pie

2 c. peeled & thinly sliced tart apples
1 unbaked 9-in pie crust
4 eggs
1/4 to 1/3 c. brown sugar or honey (I used maple syrup, which was listed as an optional variation)
1 c. yogurt
1 t. vanilla extract
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. salt

1) Preheat oven to 375.
2) Spread the apple slices evenly over the pie crust.
3) Combine all remaining ingredients in a food processor or blender and whip until frothy. Pour this custard over the apples.
4) Bake for 45 min. or until solid in the center. Cool for at least 1 hour before slicing. Best at room temperature or cold.


Here's what it looked like. The picture doesn't quite do justice to how strange the creamy custard filling looked compared to an ordinary apple pie.



How did it taste, you ask? Well, it's a seriously weird pie. (Not to be confused with Serious Pie, which you must try next time you happen to be in Seattle.) Odd, yet bland.

1 comment:

  1. You must have a very odd palate. The moosewood is a favorite cookbook of many vegetarian and non vegetarian eaters. This pie is a pie I always make for thanksgiving at the request of the hosts. It gets eaten far more quickly than the standard pies and everyone raves about it. I also get requests for the walnut feta dip (almost think it's why I get an invite) and the arabian squash casserole. I have never heard the food described as strange or bland except your blog.

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