Who Wants Pie for Pi Day?

Hello from Kathey Raskin of Las Vegas, and welcome to Kathey Jo’s Kitchen! Pi Day is coming up in a couple of days. Don’t get caught off guard. Have a few pies on hand to enjoy for the day. In Kathey Jo’s Kitchen, we don’t need an excuse to enjoy pie. What is it exactly? National Pi Day celebrates Pi, a mathematical concept of a number that never ends. It was created by physicist Larry Shaw in 1989, celebrated at the San Francisco Exploratorium. The U.S. House of Representatives passed a non-binding resolution (HRES 224), officially recognizing March 14, 2009 as the start of the National Pi Day movement. How’s this for another fun fact? The birthday of physicist Albert Einstein is March 14, 1879. Share your favorite pie recipes with Kathey Jo’s Kitchen below!

Chocolate Chess Pie

Ingredients

For the crust

• 1 sleeve chocolate graham crackers
• 1 stick butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon sugar

For the filling

• 1 stick butter
• 1 (1 ounce) square unsweetened chocolate, or 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. To make the crust, crush the graham crackers into fine crumbs by placing them in a Ziploc bag, and smashing them with a rolling pin. Add sugar and melted butter and mix until well combined.
3. Push into a 9-inch pie pan to form a thin crust on the bottom and sides. Bake for 8 minutes, remove from oven, and chill until firm and crunchy, about an hour.
4. Lower oven temperature to 325°.
5. To make the filling, heat the butter and chocolate in a saucepan over medium until melted and smooth. Remove from the burner and add the sugar, mixing until well combined. Stir in eggs, vanilla, and salt.
6. Pour the filling into the pie crust and bake for around 45 minutes, until top is puffed, and the center is set. Cover the edges of the crust with foil halfway through to keep it from burning.
7. Remove the pie from the oven and allow to cool for at least 20 – 30 minutes. It is delicious warm or at room temperature. Serve with fresh whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Deep-Dish Pumpkin Meringue Pie

Ingredients

For the pumpkin pie:

• 1 (9-inch) pie crust, homemade or store-bought dough
• 15 ounces pumpkin puree
• ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• ¼ cup honey
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon cloves
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup whole milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 1 large egg yolk

For the meringue topping:

• 4 large egg whites
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Roll out the pie crust to about 12 inches in diameter. Place the pie crust in an eight-inch springform pan or deep-dish pie pan, or regular pie pan (cooking times may need to be adjusted). Crimp or trim the edges so that the sides of the dough stand about two-inches tall. Chill in the refrigerator for 15 to 20 minutes.
2. Once chilled, line the crust with foil or parchment and fill with pie weights. Blind bake the crust for about 15 minutes. Remove the pie from oven and take out the pie weights and foil. Continue to bake for an additional 5 minutes, or until the edges start to brown.
3. Make the pie filling. Heat the pumpkin puree, white sugar, brown sugar, honey, and spices in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk to combine and heat for about five minutes, or until the mixture starts to come together and steam a bit. Remove from heat. Whisk thoroughly until smooth or quickly mix with an immersion blender.
4. Whisk in the milk and cream until smooth. Add in the eggs and egg yolk and whisk to combine.
5. Pour pie filling into the pre-baked crust. Turn oven down to 375°F and bake for 45 to 55 minutes. The pie will be done when the center has set, or a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Once cool, gently remove the outer ring of the springform pan.
6. If you end up with too much filling for your crust, do not overfill. Stop pouring before you reach the edge. Try baking the leftover filling in a greased cake pan for a crustless pie treat.
7. To make the meringue topping, place the egg whites and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk to combine. Place a couple inches of water in a saucepan and heat over medium heat. Place the mixing bowl on top of the saucepan to create a double-boiler. Whisking occasionally, heat until egg mixture is warm, and sugar has dissolved, four to five minutes.
8. Once warm, return the mixing bowl to the stand mixer. With the whisk attachment, beat the egg mixture on high until the outside of the mixing bowl is cool. Add in the vanilla and mix until medium-stiff peaks form.
9. After the pie has completely cooled, dollop or pipe meringue on top of the pie filling. Gently toast the top of the meringue until golden brown with a kitchen torch or under the broiler, if desired.