Pi Day

As you might know, March 14th was “Pi Day”. Pi day happens every year and commemorates the mathematical constant of Pi.  This is because, when you write out March 14th using the month/day date format you get: 3/14, which are the three most significant figures of Pi.
I wanted to do something to celebrate Pi Day, So instead of doing something incredibly painful, such as trying to memorize the first 100 digits of Pi. I decided to do something much tastier; I decided to make a Pie from scratch. The Pie I made was apple.

The recipe is below. Quantities (beside the pie crust) are approximate.

Pie Crust (adapted from the cookbook “The Perfect Recipe.”)
2 ½ cups all purpose flour
½ tsp salt
3 Tbs Sugar
12 Tbs butter, chilled, cut into ½ inch cubes
8 Tbs Crisco, chilled, cut into ½ inch cubes
8-12 Tbs ice water (the water has to be very cold!)

Pulse all dry ingredients together in a food processor. Then add the butter cubes. Pulse in quick two second bursts, about five times. The butter should be in little pieces, and the mixture should resemble corn meal.

Then, add the Crisco cubes, and again pulse in two second bursts, this time only three times. Finally, add the water one tablespoon at a time using as much or as little as you need. Again, pulse as you go. If your crust has enough water, it will stick together without being crumbly. It also should NOT be sticky to touch. It is a very delicate process, so take your time. However, make sure your water stays nice and cold, by putting ice cubes in it. Once your crust is done, put it in plastic wrap and store it in the fridge for 30 minutes to 2 hours.

Pie Filling
2 medium ambrosia apples, skinned, and cut into ¼ inch pieces
1 medium golden delicious apple, skinned, and cut into ¼ inch pieces
½ cup brown sugar
1 Tbs cinnamon
½ tsp allspice
1/8 tsp cardamom
Juice of half a lemon

Extras
About 2 Tbs butter cut into ¼ inch pieces
4 Tbs brown sugar
Extra cinnamon, taste to your liking, about 1 Tbs


Preheat oven to 425 F.

Mix all of the ingredients from the first list together, and set aside.

Then, on a floured surface, roll out the crust so that it is ¼ inch thick. Take your pie dish, and grease it. Then, put it in face down on top of the crust, and cut around the dish plus an extra inch for overlap. Gently place the cut out crust into your dish, and drape over the edges. Then, take half of the extra: butter, cinnamon, ad sugar, and rub it gently into the crust.

Next, place half of the filling into the plate, and cover with the rest of the extras. Follow with the rest of the filling. Finally,  place the rest of the crust on top. Cut off any excess pieces, and crimp the edges. Cut some sort of hole into the top of the pie, so that the steam can escape.

Place pie into the 425F oven, and bake for 20 minutes. Then, reduce the heat to 305 F and continue baking for another 40 minutes. The crust should be a beautiful golden brown and flaky when it is done.

Remove the pie from the oven, and let it sit for 20 minutes. I must admit, this is the hardest part -- waiting after all that work, but it is so worth it. If you don’t wait, you will burn your mouth and the inside of the pie will be too runny.

Finally, after all that work it is time to enjoy your pie! There are many different ways to eat apple pie. My sister likes hers with lots of vanilla ice cream; my mom likes hers with a giant slice of cheddar cheese. I, however, like to keep it simple: I have mine with a giant glass of ice milk. But, in the end no matter how you like your apple pie, it all boils down to the fact that apple pie is delicious.

Pie making tips!
-Make sure you keep the butter and Crisco as cold as possible.
- Make sure you keep the water as cold as possible.
-Touch the crust as little as possible. Your hands will warm up the crust, which will make it less flaky when you cook it.
-Take your time. Pie crust is challenging to make -- there’s no need to rush something that is difficult.
-When it comes to liquid, sometimes less is more. It is very easy to add too much water to pie crust, so be careful when you add water. Add it very slowly, a little bit at a time.

Salmon Cakes with Lemon Mayo

For The cakes:
1 salmon fillet (the one I used weighed 0.610kg)
1/2 cup BBQ sauce
1 garlic clove, chopped
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 egg 
1 tsp mustard powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
3/4 cup bread crumbs
1 Tbs Parmesan cheese
olive oil for frying 

Lemon wedges and rosemary sprigs (for garnish)

For the Lemon Mayo:
2/3 cup light mayonnaise
1 1/2 tsp lemon zest
1/2 tsp lemon juice  
1/2 tsp fresh thyme
1/2 tsp fresh oregono
salt and peper to tsate  

Preheat oven to 250F

For the salmon cakes: mix all of the ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Using your hands, form into small cakes about thee inches across, and one-inch thick. Heat a heavy bottom skillet, and cover the bottom of the pan with oil. Fry the cakes in batches until both sides are nicely browned, and transfer onto a cookie sheet. Put cakes into the oven until they are cooked through.*

For the mayo: mix all ingredients together in a small bowl. Adjust seasonings to your taste.

Plate salmon cake, with mayo, lemon wedges, and rosemary sprigs.

makes 10-12 cakes 

*To see if salmon is fully cooked, insert a knife into the middle of a cake. Touch the non sharp bit the knife to the inside of your wrist. If the knife is warm, the salmon is cooked.