Farmers Pie Food

APPLE PIE BAKED IN A BAG

Steps:

• Make the Crust: In a food processor combine the flour, sugar, and salt. Add the butter and pulse until pea-sized pieces appear. Add the water and pulse briefly¿it will still look crumbly. Transfer the crumbs to 2 pieces of parchment paper or foil and form into 2 disks. Wrap the discs with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
• On a work surface lightly dusted with flour, roll out 1 disk to a circle about 1/8-inch thick. Keep rolling until the circle is at least 2 inches larger than your pan. Line the pie pan with the dough, letting the edge hang over a bit. Roll the second disk, place it on a sheet pan and chill it until you're ready to build your pie.
• Arrange a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F.
• Make the Filling: In a medium bowl, toss the apple slices, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, vanilla, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg together. Transfer to the pie shell and dot with the butter. Brush the overhanging edges of the dough with water. Carefully cover with the rolled-out top crust and pinch the edges together, turning them under all around to make a thick edge. To decorate the rim, press it all around with the back of a fork, or just pinch it to seal. With a scissors, cut a few V-vents in the center.
• Slide the pie into the brown paper bag and fold the top down. Staple bag shut and place it on a sheet pan. Bake for 1 hour.
• Remove the pie from the oven and cut a large circle in top of the bag. Return to the oven and bake until the crust is golden brown, about 15 minutes more.
• Let the pie cool at least 30 minutes before serving. Serve warm or at room temperature.

FARMER CHEESE AND THYME PIE

Steps:

• Use a bench scraper to cut butter into ½-inch cubes. (If butter begins to "sweat," dust with flour.) In a large, flat-bottomed bowl, combine flour, sugar, and salt. Add the butter cubes and toss to coat with the flour mixture. Use a pastry blender to cut the butter into the flour; do not smash or smear the butter. Scrape butter off the pastry blender during the mixing process and continue mixing. (If butter is softening too fast, put the bowl in the refrigerator until butter firms up, 2-5 minutes.) Continue cutting, working quickly, until butter is broken down and looks like a coarse crumble with only a few larger pieces.
• Combine vinegar with water and ice; you'll use 10-12 tablespoons of this liquid in the pie dough. Begin by sprinkling 4 tablespoons of liquid over the flour mixture; use a bench scraper or your hands to incorporate until the mixture begins to come together. Sprinkle in 4 more tablespoons of liquid and continue the mixing process. Squeeze a fistful of dough: if it holds, like wet sand, it's ready. If it falls apart, add 1-2 more tablespoons of liquid at a time, squeezing the dough to check if it holds. Bring all the dough together, sprinkling dry bits with more small drops of liquid as necessary; dough will look shaggy. Knead in the bowl just until incorporated.
• Turn dough onto a work surface and use a bench scraper to divide dough into two equal pieces. Shape into flat disks and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, preferably overnight. (Note: Dough can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and frozen up to 1 month, tightly wrapped.)
• Crust: Remove one dough disk from the refrigerator. (Save the other one for another pie.) Generously grease a tart pan with butter. Roll the dough into a circle 2-3 inches larger than a 10" pie or tart pan, all the way around. Remove the ring of the tart pan, leaving the only bottom. Lay dough onto the bottom by gently folding the dough in half, then aligning the crease with the center of the pan. Unfold the dough, straighten, then fold the edges of dough towards the center so the bottom will fit inside the ring.Place the tart ring around your forearm; place the bottom on your hand, then bring the ring up to meet it. Unfold the edges of the dough, then fold in any excess dough that hangs over the rim so that the top of the crust is flush with the rim. Use your thumbs to press and flatten the dough into the fluted inner edge of the ring to secure the crust as it bakes. Place in the freezer for at least 20 minutes, or until firm. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Parbake crust: Remove the pan from the freezer and use a fork to prick holes throughout the dough. (This is called "docking," which helps maintain the shape as the crust bakes.) Cover snugly with aluminum foil. Fill the shell with ceramic pie weights; push them toward the edges, which keeps the crust from shrinking as it bakes. Place on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes, or until the crimped edges are set but not browned. Remove from the oven and lift the foil and pie weights out of the shell. Let the shell cool. Lower the oven heat to 350 degrees F.
• Filling: In a mixing bowl, combine farmer cheese and milk. Stir well to remove large lumps. Add honey and salt, and stir well. Whisk eggs in a separate bowl, add to cheese mixture, and whisk until well blended; then stir in thyme.
• Assembly: Pour the filling into the shell and bake on the middle rack of the oven for 35-40 minutes.
• Pie is finished when the edges are set and puffed slightly and the center is no longer liquid, but still somewhat wobbly. (The filling will continue to cook and set out of the oven.) Cool completely. To serve, remove outer tart ring and place on another platter; serve at room temperature or chilled.

FARMER'S PIE

Steps:

• In a large skillet, brown and crumble sausage for about 5 minutes.
• Add onion and continue cooking until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes; drain.
• Remove from heat; add cheese, broccoli, rice, tomato, and olives; stir well.
• Pour into pie crust.
• In a bowl, combine eggs, cream, garlic, salt, pepper, and thyme; mix well.
• Pour over sausage mixture.
• Bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes; reduce heat to 400 degrees and bake 30-35 minutes or until golden and firm.

FARMER'S PASTA

Steps:

• Butter a 13 by 9 by 2-inch baking dish. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add the pancetta and saute until golden and crisp, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pancetta to a small bowl. Pour off all but 1/4 cup of the pan drippings (if necessary, add more oil to the pan drippings to equal 1/4 cup total). Reduce the heat to medium. Add 3 teaspoons of garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the flour and whisk for 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in the milk. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, whisking often, about 5 minutes. Gradually whisk in all the Fontina, mozzarella, Parmesan, and provolone cheeses.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the rigatoni and cook until almost al dente, stirring occasionally, about 7 minutes. (The pasta will continue cooking in the oven.) Drain pasta and add directly into the cheese. Add the parsley, basil, and pancetta and toss to coat. Season the pasta mixture, to taste, with salt and pepper. Transfer the pasta mixture to the prepared dish.
• Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add the remaining garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Remove from the heat. Add the bread crumbs and toss to coat. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture over the pasta mixture. Drizzle the top with extra-virgin olive oil and bake until the sauce bubbles and the bread crumbs are golden brown, about 20 minutes.

FARMER'S PIE (VEGETARIAN SHEPHERD'S PIE)

Steps:

• MASHED CAULIFLOWER TOPPING: Steam or microwave cauliflower until fork tender.
• Place in food processor and add Molly McButter, garlic powder and salt & pepper.
• Process until it has a mashed potato-like consistency.
• VEGETABLE BASE: In a large skillet combine red pepper, celery, onion, mushrooms and worcestershire sauce.
• Cover & cook until veges are soft.
• Add bouillon cube, water and ground beef crumbles.
• Simmer for 5 minutes.
• Whisk flour w/ 2 Tbls water & stir into skillet to thicken sauce.
• Pour vege base into casserole dish & top w/ mashed cauliflower.
• Sprinkle parmesan cheese on top.
• Broil to brown the top.
• Enjoy!

FARMER'S PIE (VEGETARIAN SHEPHERD'S PIE)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Put lentils, rice, 4 cups of water and bouillon together in a medium pot over high heat.
• Bring to a boil, then turn down heat to simmer. Stir occasionally, cover and cook until rice and lentils are soft, about 20 minutes. Stir in rosemary and thyme and set aside.
• While lentils cook: Boil potatoes in another pot of water until tender when pierced with a fork. Drain and return to pot over low heat.
• Add butter, salt and milk and use a potato masher to smash potatoes to your desired smoothness.
• In a medium pan heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions, carrots and squash (or other vegetables you like). Cook until onions are tender.
• Cover the bottom of an 8x8 glass baking dish with all of the the lentil and rice mixture. Next add a layer using all of the vegetables, add the frozen peas on top. Last carefully cover the layers with mashed potatoes, a spoonful at a time using a rubber spatula.
• Cover the baking dish with foil and place in the center of the oven.
• Bake for 25 minutes covered, then remove foil and bake for 5 more minutes.
• Remove from oven and serve hot.