Pear and Sour Cherry Flat Pie

A mixture of sweet Bartlett pears and sour cherries fills sheets of flaky puff pastry. Traces of ground black pepper and five-spice powder (a blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, star anise, and Szechuan pepper used in Chinese cooking) provide exotic notes.

SERVES 8 TO 10

Ingredients:
• All-purpose flour, for dusting
• 1 box store-bought puff pastry, preferably all butter, thawed, or ¼ recipe Puff Pastry
• 2 medium ripe, firm Bartlett pears (about 1 pound 2 ounces), peeled, halved, cored, and cut into ¼-inch slices
• ½ cup (about 2 ounces) dried sour cherries
• ⅓ cup sugar, plus more for sprinkling
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• ⅛ teaspoon five-spice powder
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten, for egg wash

Preparation:
1. On a lightly floured surface, roll out and trim dough into two 10- by-7½-inch rectangles. Refrigerate or freeze until firm, about 30 minutes.

2. In a bowl, toss to combine pears, cherries, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and five-spice powder.

3. Transfer 1 rectangle of dough to a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. Spoon fruit mixture evenly onto dough, leaving a 1- inch border. Brush border with beaten egg. Lay remaining rectangle of dough over filling; press gently to seal edges. Refrigerate or freeze until firm, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375°F.

4. Trim edges, and brush top with beaten egg. Cut five 5-inch vents in top. Sprinkle top generously with sugar. Bake until crust is golden and juices are bubbling, about 35 minutes. Transfer pie to a wire rack; let cool at least 20 minutes before serving.

This Free Form recipe was published in 'Martha Stewart's New Pies and Tarts: 150 Recipes for Old-Fashioned and Modern Favorites by Martha Stewart Living Magazine'.

Cheese Rolls (Pão de Queijo)

These delicate rolls are originally from Minas Gerais but have become so popular that they can now be found across the country. But be forewarned, pão de queijo disappear almost as soon as they come out of the oven. Once you have your first taste, you will see why these rolls rarely have the chance to get cold.

Makes 40 to 45 rolls

Ingredients:
• 4 cups manioc starch or tapioca flour or starch
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 ounces Parmesan cheese (1 ⅓ cups)
• 1 cup plus 3 tablespoons whole milk
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 3 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon canola oil, for forming the rolls

On your mark, get set . . .
• Add the tapioca fl our and salt to a large bowl.
• Blend together with a whisk.
• Grate the cheese using the largest holes on a box grater. Measure 1 cup and set aside.
• Measure the rest of the ingredients and have them close by.
• You will need an ungreased cookie sheet to bake the rolls.

Cook!

• Preheat the oven to 425°F.
• Pour 1 cup of the milk into a saucepan and add the butter. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Be careful the milk does not boil over.
• Pour the milk-and-butter combination over the fl our. Mix together with a fork or spoon. Let the mixture cool a bit.
• Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing each into the dough before adding the next.
• Add the fi nal 3 tablespoons of milk to the dough, a spoonful at a time, until the dough is smooth. If the dough feels dry, add a little more milk, but no more than 1 tablespoon.
• Knead the dough in the bowl until all the ingredients are well blended and the dough is smooth.
• Add the grated cheese and mix it into the dough. Don’t worry if the cheese doesn’t blend in completely.
• Lightly grease the palms of your very clean hands with some of the oil.
• Tear off a piece of the dough about the size of a ping-pong ball.
• Lightly roll the dough into a ball in the palms of your hands.
• Place it on the baking sheet.
• Repeat until all the rolls are formed and placed on the baking sheet, leaving ¼ inch between each roll.
• If you need to bake the dough in two batches, refrigerate the unformed dough while the first batch bakes, or use two baking sheets.
• Bake the rolls on the middle rack of the preheated oven for 10 minutes. Set a timer so you don’t forget.
• Reduce the heat to 375°F and bake an additional 10 to 15 minutes, or until the rolls are a light golden brown.
• Remove the rolls from the oven and lift them with a pair of tongs or a spatula to a cooling rack. Serve warm.

Chef’s Tip
Manioc , cassava , or tapioca flour or starch are the same ingredient just identified with different names . Tapioca starch or flour is available in health food stores. You are most likely to find it with the wheat-free or gluten - free products.

This Salads and Appetizers recipe was published in 'The Cooking Of Brazil (Seconds Edition) by "Matthew Locricchio" - p39 and p40'

Classic Pumpkin Pie

Making a single-crust pie is a natural next step after a free-form galette. Here, the filling—a custard of pumpkin purée, eggs, and evaporated milk—is quickly mixed by hand in one bowl. The pie’s simple construction offers an excellent opportunity to experiment with embellished edges, such as a wreath of autumn leaves (pictured), made with a one-inch leaf cutter, or a wheatlike braid (pictured; you will need one whole recipe pâte brisée for the shell plus the braid). The key to a great pumpkin pie is to partially bake the crust—called blind baking—before adding the filling. The twice-baked crust stays firm and crisp beneath the creamy custard.

MAKES ONE 9-INCH PIE

Ingredients:
• All-purpose flour, for dusting
• ½ recipe Pâte Brisée
• 2 large whole eggs, lightly beaten, plus 1 large egg yolk, for egg wash
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
• 1½ cups unsweetened pumpkin purée, canned or fresh
• 1½ cups evaporated milk Whipped Cream, for serving (optional;)

Preparation:
1. On a lightly floured surface, roll out 1 disk of dough to a 13-inch round, ⅛ inch thick. Fit into a 9-inch pie plate. Trim excess dough flush with rim (reserve scraps). Pierce bottom of shell all over with a fork. Refrigerate or freeze until firm, about 30 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, on a lightly floured piece of parchment, roll out scraps. Using a 1-inch leaf-shaped cutter, cut out 40 leaves from dough. Transfer cutouts to a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. Using a paring knife, etch veins in each leaf. Refrigerate until ready to use.

3. In a small bowl, whisk together egg yolk and the water; lightly brush one side of each leaf with egg wash. Arrange leaves, slightly overlapping, around edge of crust, making sure they do not extend over edge, to prevent them from browning too quickly. Lightly brush bottom of each leaf with egg wash as you work. Refrigerate shell 30 minutes.

4. Preheat oven to 375°F. Line pie shell with parchment; fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake 20 minutes. Carefully remove weights and parchment, and continue to bake until golden brown, 10 minutes more. Let cool on a wire rack. (Keep oven on.)

5. In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, cornstarch, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, pumpkin, and 2 eggs. Add evaporated milk, and whisk to combine. Pour filling into partially baked crust.

6. Place pie plate on a rimmed baking sheet; bake until edges are set but center is still slightly wobbly, 35 to 40 minutes. Transfer plate to a wire rack to cool completely. Serve with whipped cream, if desired.

This Classic recipe was published in 'Martha Stewart's New Pies and Tarts: 150 Recipes for Old-Fashioned and Modern Favorites by Martha Stewart Living Magazine'.

Classic Pecan Pie

Home cooks in the South take great pride in their pecan pies, but the Thanksgiving classic is well loved in all corners of the United States. Sometimes it’s flavored with bourbon (add two tablespoons to the egg mixture in step 2) or chocolate (stir in half a cup of coarsely chopped semisweet chocolate along with the pecans in the same step). Cream cheese gives this crust a slightly tangy flavor. A fluted edge, made by shaping the dough with your knuckles or fingertips, is both decorative and practical—it helps anchor the crust to the pie plate, preventing it from shrinking or sliding as it bakes.

MAKES ONE 9-INCH PIE

Ingredients:
• All-purpose flour, for dusting Cream Cheese Pie Dough
• 4 cups (13 ounces) pecan halves, toasted
• 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1 cup light corn syrup
• ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon salt

Preparation:
1. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to a 13-inch round. Fit dough into a 9-inch pie plate. Trim dough, leaving a 1-inch overhang. Turn overhang under, flush with rim. Flute edge. Refrigerate or freeze until firm, about 30 minutes.

2. Preheat oven to 325°F. Set aside 1¼ cups pecan halves; coarsely chop remaining 2¾ cups pecans. Stir together eggs, sugar, corn syrup, butter, vanilla, and salt in a medium bowl until well combined. Stir in chopped pecans, and pour mixture into prepared pie shell, spreading evenly. Arrange reserved pecan halves on top in concentric circles until surface is completely covered.

3. Place pie on a rimmed baking sheet, and bake until filling is just set and crust is golden brown, about 90 minutes. (If nuts are getting too dark, tent pie loosely with foil.) Transfer to a wire rack, and let cool completely before serving. (Pie can be stored at room temperature, loosely covered, up to 1 day.)

This Classic recipe was published in 'Martha Stewart's New Pies and Tarts: 150 Recipes for Old-Fashioned and Modern Favorites by Martha Stewart Living Magazine'.