Make Ahead

Butternut & Granny Smith Pie...an Autumn Affair

by:
October 22, 2010
4
2 Ratings
  • Makes enough filling for one 9 inch pie
Author Notes

I love apple and pumpkin pie, traditional holiday desserts, but my favorite is butternut squash and granny smith baked together. This pie combines the soft texture of savory butternut and tart apple with sweet taste of honey and a warm floral note of vanilla bean.

The Vanilla bean is a must, and rather than split and scrape, I split, toss and stir the bean into a pan of simmering squash and apple to let the fragrant vanilla seed specks disperse throughout.

My idea was inspired after Savuer’s Tourte au Potiron French pumpkin pie, a pie consisting of kabocha squash, apple, sugar and vanilla bean, baked in puffed pastry.

A delicious Autumn Affair choice for Thanksgiving dessert that I hope you will give a try. PS - or any other time of year you choose!
lapadia

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Ingredients
  • FILLING INGREDIENTS & INSTRUCTIONS
  • THE FILLING CAN BE MADE THE DAY BEFORE
  • 6 tbsps butter
  • 3 cups butternut squash – seeded, peeled and cubed bite size
  • 2 cups granny smith apples, unpeeled, cored and cubed bite size
  • Honey - 4 to 6 ozs. honey, any kind, I use clover
  • (4 ozs. honey is sweet enough for me, taste test for your preference)
  • 1 vanilla bean, split open, but don't scrape it
  • 1/4 cup pecans, chopped
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt - or to taste
  • 1/4 tsp coarse salt to top crust (optional)
  • PIE CRUST
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, cubed and chilled
  • 2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 8-10 tablespoons ice water
Directions
  1. FILLING INGREDIENTS & INSTRUCTIONS
  2. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the butternut and apples, and cook, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes.
  3. Reduce the heat to low, add honey and vanilla bean, give it a stir and scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon.
  4. Cover the skillet and cook until squash and apples are very soft and jammy but still holding their shape, about 30 minutes.
  5. Set aside to cool. When cool, fish out the vanilla bean (keep, dry for other uses) and stir in the salt and pecans.
  6. Meanwhile, make the pie crust (below), or use your favorite recipe.
  7. When the crust & filling is ready; roll the bottom half of your pie crust into a 9 inch pie plate. Fill the crust with squash mixture.
  8. Lay the top crust on; tuck between the filling and the bottom crust and crimp.
  9. Brush the surface with a milk and cream mixture.
  10. Sprinkle with coarse salt (optional). Make slits for steam vents.
  11. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven until the crust is golden - 50 to 55 minutes.
  12. Let cool slightly before serving.
  1. PIE CRUST
  2. Put the butter, flour and salt in the food processor, pulse lightly until the mixture resembles wet looking pea sized particles.
  3. Add cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing about 10 times after each tablespoon.
  4. Keep adding and pulsing water until the dough just starts to gather into larger clumps.
  5. Split the dough in half and place into 2 re-sealable plastic bags, pat each into a disk.
  6. Let them sit in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

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19 Reviews

Katiejay April 18, 2014
I'm watching you make this on KCTS right this minute. I look forward to trying it soon. Your idea of scoring the top crust is very smart.
lapadia April 18, 2014
Great to hear from you, Katiejay, thanks for your feedback, I hope you enjoy!
hardlikearmour November 2, 2012
What a perfect autumn trio! I bet the vanilla really elevates the flavor of the squash and apple.
lapadia November 3, 2012
That is an excellent bet, HLA!!
Bevi November 1, 2012
Wow! Thanks for posting this - it sounds like the perfect addition to the holiday dessert table.
lapadia November 1, 2012
Enjoy! :)
TheWimpyVegetarian December 7, 2010
Hey there ms tv star personality, I just watched your gig on KCTS9 and loved it. You did great! Loved all the TV magic. Wish cooking worked like that here at home too...:-). Seriously, congratulations! I would love to do something like that here, but there are so many fabulous, more experienced cooks than I here and I have no clue where to even start. How did you get started with this?
lapadia December 7, 2010
Thanks, ChezSuzanne! This was my “almost 9 minutes of fame” haha :). I was nervous, especially when the pot was pushed back before it was supposed to be and I had to adlib, I had a couple minutes of talk planned that never happened. They give 10 minutes of air time and mine ran just over 8. BUT, it was a fun adventure. The PBS channel in Seattle compiles a fund raiser cookbook twice a year, I always help by contributing recipes; in the future I hope to volunteer however else I can in the studio. KCTS9 reviews all the recipes that will go into the book and then chooses 12 of them for a LIVE demo. I have recipes in many of their books over the last 10 years. Check your local PBS and see if they do something similar….or else move up here to Seattle!!! The show is going to repeat this Saturday. Just today, I saw my 91 year old dad the first thing he asked was….”when will I be on TV again”, he marked his calendar. Anyway, thanks again, I hope you can find a “gig” too!
Sagegreen October 22, 2010
Yum!
Sagegreen October 22, 2010
And best of luck with this. Very thrilling news!
Lizthechef October 22, 2010
WOWEE! Best of luck!
lapadia October 25, 2010
Thanks, Lizthechef & Sagegreen for your kind words!
lapadia October 22, 2010
They do stream online I will have to check into the link....stay tuned!
lapadia October 25, 2010
It will definately be available for viewing at this link, am not sure if it streams live (Nov.6):
http://kcts9.org/series/kcts-9-cooks
lapadia October 22, 2010
@ ChezSuzanne (for some reason my computer doesn't allow me to continue with the comments after 2 of them...it starts a new one), anyway, I have recipes in many of their books, but have never demonstrated live on air...what an adventure this will be!
AntoniaJames October 22, 2010
Congrats! An adventure, and what an honor!!! Will there be a podcast? Do they stream? I would love to hear it!! Wow. ;o)
TheWimpyVegetarian October 22, 2010
I'm sure this is another wonderful pie from your kitchen!
lapadia October 22, 2010
Hi ChezSuzanne - I JUST hung up the phone with the local PBS channel (Seattle) and they have asked me to come demonstrate this pie "on air" in Nov. for their cookbook fundraising campaign!
TheWimpyVegetarian October 22, 2010
Oh my gosh that's fabulous!!!!! Congratulations - what an honor! Have you done this before??