06 September 2007

CSA Week 14 and a neighborly pie

Yesterday, the problem of having a two-earner household up and bit us. The CSA pickup site is open from 3-7, but we can't get there until 5-5:30 as we both have full-time jobs and someone has to pick up the girlie. And so yesterday, when W. got there around 5, the heirloom tomatoes were all gone. Great sadness.

  • Sweet Corn (6)
  • Potatoes (3 big white ones)
  • Broccoli Rabe
  • Broccoli
  • Heirloom Tomatoes
  • Juliet Tomatoes (1 quart)
  • Red Onion (1)
  • Garlic (1 head)
  • Sweet Red Italia Peppers (4)
  • Salad Mix
  • Cilantro
  • Arugula
  • Parsley

Several weeks ago, Julie's Hump Day Hmmm was about neighbors. The whole time that I was growing up, there was a Labor Day party across the street (or on my mother's porch if it rained). It was mostly a block party, but with lots of honorary members - people who lived across town or on the next block. The hosts provided tables and ice and wine and lemonade and paper plates and plastic cups and forks. And the food was potluck: everyone brought something, nearly universally homemade. And some of those homemade things were perennial: the plum torte from down the hill, the tabouli that my mother made every year, and the potato pie from a woman in the next block. That potato pie is divine, and it was always the first thing to be gone when the vultures descended upon the tables of food.

So, though Labor Day has come and gone, here is that recipe for the divine Potato Pie.

Potato Pie

3 pounds of potatoes (~8)
1 medium onion, chopped
2 T. chopped parsley
2 1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. ground pepper
3 T. butter
1 egg yolk mixed with 2 T. water
1 cup heavy cream at room temperature
Butter pie dough for a double crust pie

Peel potatoes, and slice thinly. Toss with onion, salt, pepper, parsley - and set aside. Fit pastry to a 11.75 x 7.5 x 1.75" pan (or 10" round pie plate). Drain liquid from potatoes. Fill pastry, dot potatoes with butter. Add top crust. Cut 4-5 good sized slits, and brush top with egg yolk. Bake at 375° until potatoes are tender - 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours. Take out of oven and pour cream bit by bit in the slits, letting it absorb (this takes patience!). Eat at room temperature. Or, bring to your next block party and watch it disappear!

12 comments:

Katie Zeller said...

Oh yeah, I bet that was good!
We had 4 families in our little village that got together at each house throughout the summers for picnics....and the food was always wonderful...
Too bad about the tomatoes....

Suz said...

I've always wanted to learn how to make this...even though I'm not a good cook, perhaps I'll give this a shot.

MadMad said...

That sounds very yummy....!

Her Grace said...

Sounds yummy!

I'm wondering...do you get a full share or a 1/2 share? I'm trying to decide what would be appropriate for us with two adults and two small children. What do you think?

Maewen Archer said...

Mmm ... that sounds very tasty. So sorry about the tomatoes -- I've missed the golden heirloom tomatoes this summer (can't remember what they're called).

Anonymous said...

The irish goddess in me is drooling over the idea of potato pie!

Unknown said...

Oh, this one I will definitely try! Sounds amazing.

painted maypole said...

you people and all your vegetables. You are making the rest of us look bad. Stop it!

Girlplustwo said...

yum, yum, yum. got my box yesterday in fact.

niobe said...

This sounds so good. I'm wondering if the cream is absolutely necessary, though. Or maybe I could substitute something else...

Julie Pippert said...

Don't you love that sort of thing?

Now make that a sweet potato pie and I'm 100% on it.

Loved this. :)

Julie
Using My Words

nonlineargirl said...

I don't understand - did the CSA underestimate what they needed (or overestimate when they told people what they could take) or did people take more than they should have? I can't really imagine that happening at my CSA, though sometimes I wish it would with the zucchini.