Author Notes
When I think of picnics, I think of summer, and when I imagine summer food, BLTs and corn on the cob come to mind. What happens if you mix those together and nestle them in a pie crust? You get a full-of-flavor, essence-of-summer, savory, portable pie!
Sandwiches get soggy if pre-made, toting multiple corn cobs is cumbersome, but one large pie that's best served at room temp, or ambient outside temp (sun!) is easy and no-stress.
I added a dash of pepper to my favorite (family tradition) pie crust which is a flaky yet sturdy crust made from flour, oil, milk and salt. Corn, tomatoes, and bacon (I used speck) evoke the flavors of corn on the cob and BLTs, and in place of lettuce, I use fresh basil. Goat cheese and shallots add depth.
Serve this in generous wedges with a crisp rose' or white wine, and you've got a terrific picnic at hand.
*If you like the idea of individual pies, this recipe is perfectly adaptable. —em-i-lis
Ingredients
- Pie crust
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2 cups
all-purpose flour, sifted
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1.5 teaspoons
salt
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1/8 - 1/4 teaspoons
freshly ground black pepper
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1/4 cup
milk
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1/2 cup
canola oil
- Pie filling
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2-3
large tomatoes, sliced 1/2" thick
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kosher salt
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1
large ear of corn, kernels removed
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1/3 cup
thinly sliced shallot
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1/2 cup
purple and green basil, chopped
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3-4
slices speck (or regular bacon), chopped
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2
cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
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Bucheron or other tangy goat cheese, sliced
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freshly ground black pepper
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extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Directions
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Preheat oven to 375. In a medium mixing bowl, combine sifted flour, salt and pepper, and whisk well. Add milk and oil, and using a fork, stir and mash together until mostly combined. Place dough onto a sheet of waxed paper, cover with another sheet of waxed paper, and roll to 1/8 " - 1/4" thick. Put into a deep pie plate and trim excess.
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Bake crust in oven for 20 minutes or until starting to turn golden (use pie weights or beans on foil so the crust doesn't buckle).
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While the crust bakes, put the tomato slices and a nice pinch of kosher salt in a bowl. Let sit 10 minutes, then drain. Add chopped basil and slivered garlic to the tomatoes and set aside.
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In a small skillet, cook the speck (or bacon). Once crispy, remove bacon and turn off heat. Pour the corn kernels in that same skillet, stir them around in any drippings, and set aside on another burner. You don't want to cook them much; rather you're just tossing them around in the warm drippings to incorporate that flavor.
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When you pull the crust from the oven (leave the oven on),place it on your workstation and begin to layer in the filling: goat cheese, tomato/garlic/basil mixture, shallots, corn, bacon. Finish with tomatoes and drizzle the whole pie with some olive oil and a grind of pepper. Don't worry if the filling is higher than the pie plate; it will settle as it cooks.
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Place the pie back into the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes. Cool and serve at room temp.
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