In the traditional world of American pie making, changes are subtle if at all.  But certain trends have occurred as various chefs introduce new ideas.  Consider the waning use of shortening (Crisco) in pie dough; it’s being replaced by naturally rendered leaf lard.  This is hardly new, but rather most home cooks are re-discovering this age-old type of pastry dough.

Farm-fresh leaf lard from Old Narrow Gauge Farm (available also at Bath Farmer’s Market)

The trend never really left regional cooks in the Midwest and the South.  Still, the common misconception about lard is that it’s an unhealthy fat.  Truth is it has less saturated fat than butter or shortening.  The supermarket product of hydrogenated lard, though, should be avoided, and freshly rendered unprocessed leaf lard is preferred. Increasingly it’s becoming more commonly available at butcher shops that render the lard fresh.

To some bakers such as myself the kind of flour one uses in pie dough can make a significant difference in texture.  Besides traditional all-purpose brand-name flour, some home cooks opt for artisanal flour milled at old mills and granaries.  Not everyone is willing to fork out $15, for instance, for a 2-pound bag of Anson Mills’ organic cake or pastry flour. I have and I appreciate the difference, but it’s a luxury indeed. Instead I use southern soft wheat flour for all baking.  I used to get it from White Lily or Southern Biscuit, two bleached flours that are not organic. But this soft-wheat flour makes a big difference in the pastries, cakes and biscuits.

Plain and self-fising flour from the southern mill, Boonville Flour and Feed in Boonville, North Carolina

But now I use a slightly more esoteric source—the flour from small mills and granaries in the south.  These include the flours from Boonville Flour and Feed or Sanford Milling Company, both in North Carolina, which use old milling methods, yielding the softest powdery-fine flour that’s a delight to use. Generally, I buy the all-purpose or “plain” flour and self-rising flour for biscuits.   The only catch for these flours (about $4 for a 5-pound bag) is that shipping costs are high if you live north of the Mason Dixon line.  For three 5-pound bags the shipping cost is about $15.

Lately I’ve been preparing deep dish pies.  Instead of using the traditional pie plate I fill a deeper baking dish such as an 8-inch square  by 2-inch deep Pyrex dish with the pastry dough.  The extra depth requires slightly more filling but the denser pie is just plain delicious whether for berries or fruits.

This time of year apples from local orchards deliver the quintessential deep-dish pie that has both bottom and top crusts fitted into the baking dish. Some bakers might call this a cobbler.  I suppose you can, but I prefer to think of it as a more substantial, bigger pie.

For the pastry dough you can use your favorite short-crust recipe; and be sure to use at least 2 1/2 to 3 cups of flour in your dough because you’ll need it to fill the baking dish.    If you haven’t already, try my ultra-flaky butter and lard dough:  To 2 1/2 cups flour (with a pinch of salt and tablespoon of sugar) mix in 8 ounces butter and 2 ounces freshly rendered leaf lard, moistened with about 1/2 cup ice water.  Put together in the usual way. That little bit of lard adds incredible flakiness to a buttery pastry dough and a subtle taste of the barnyard from the fresh lard.

Use a variety of tart apples such as macoun, Paula Red, Winesap and Cortland as well as heirloom apples that are showing up at farmers’ markets.  Rosemont Market carries a nice selection of heirlooms.

Special Notes

Tip from the Portland Farmer’s Market this morning.  Cynthia of Middle Intervale Farm (Bethel) suggested to me this morning when I bought their special yellow-fleshed potatoes to mix it with local cauliflower.  Boil both together until tender and mash with plenty of butter and milk.  Add grated cheddar for extra richness.

Local potatoes and cauliflower to mash together

Household tip.  Wondering how to get rid of the coffee stains that typically form in the interior of a thermal coffee pot? I discovered that if you put a small amount of dishwashing powder in the pot and fill it with hot water to sit for about 30 minutes the stains will disappear. Rinse out well. You might have to scrub it some or do a second application. And if the spot smells of old coffee put some white vinegar in the pot, fill with warm water and let sit for a while.  Rinse out well before using.