Bubby’s Pies
image: Barnes and Noble
Ronald Silver, aka Bubby, began a pie shop in order to support his writing habit. Who would ever think that he would end up with two restaurants in TriBeCa and Brooklyn.
He recently was able to put his writing skill to the test with help from co-author Jen Bevin to create Bubby’s Home Made Pies. The cookbook is full of how-to illustrations by Elizabeth Zechel, recipes for sweet and savory pies and houses not only recipes for the traditional Blueberry Pie but innovative ideas like the Paella Pie.
Publisher’s Weekly says that, “strike a balance with recipes that are doable for the new baker and dynamic enough for the experienced pie maker. A primer on crusts covers flaky, sweet crumb and savory, and is accompanied by how-to illustrations. The authors also prime readers on fruit pies before launching into chapters including cream and custard pies and savory pies. In addition, seasonal pie chapters and recipes for deep-dish desserts (such as buckles, crisps and cobblers), dumplings and sauces fill the collection.” Throughout the cookbook, there are “Ask Bubby” boxes for those common mishaps and questions.
The reviews at Amazon raved about the book for the most part. From the experienced pie maker to the person terrified of making pie crusts everyone thought it was great. The only really bad review was from someone disappointed that there was not any color pictures. I personally am a big fan of pictures, but I would say that decision was made due to the cost of photography. I am thinking that you don’t really need a lot of pictures to know that a pie is round with a bunch of stuff inside.
Bubby’s Homemade Pies is available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble and other booksellers. Bubby was recently on the Today Show and shared the Blueberry Pie recipe below. Take a look at the video presentation.
Bubby’s Buttery Blueberry Pie with Creme Fraiche
Crème fraîche
Bubby’s
Makes two cups
Crème fraîche is thickened cultured cream about the consistency of sour cream or thick yogurt. It’s simple to make and less expensive than store-bought, though it must be started at least 12 hours in advance. It lasts longer than plain heavy cream — up to three weeks! Crème fraîche is terrific on fresh blueberry pie.
INGREDIENTS
• 2 cups pasteurized heavy cream (ultra-pasteurized won’t work)
• 2 tablespoons buttermilk
• 2 tablespoons sugar
DIRECTIONS
Combine the cream and buttermilk (but not the sugar) in a jar with a tight-fitting lid and place it in a warm (70° to 80°F) spot, such as the top of the refrigerator. Allow it to sit, undisturbed overnight or until thickened but still pourable. Chill it and it will become the consistency of sour cream.
To use, add 1 tablespoon sugar for each cup of crème fraîche needed and whisk lightly by hand. Sweeten only the portion you plan to serve immediately.
Graham cracker crust
Bubby’s
Makes one 8- to 10-inch single crust
A graham cracker crust is a delicious complement to any number of cream, custard, or ganache pies. Because the sweet brown-sugary crumbs cling so deliciously to the filling, they are also recommended for glazed fruit pies like the fresh blueberry pie.
This crust is best for fully thickened fillings, as it quickly gets soggy when subjected to juicy fillings. We strongly recommend baking this crust before filling it, though some recipes forgo parbaking. The flavor of a graham crust improves noticeably with baking and the heat firms up the crust.
INGREDIENTS
• 1 1/2 cups Graham Cracker crumbs
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• Pinch salt
• 5 1/3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
DIRECTIONS
In a large bowl, mix the crumbs, sugar, and salt. Add the butter and stir until evenly combined. (You don’t need to worry about overworking a crumb crust.)
Press this mixture into an 8-to-10-inch pie tin with your fingers, striving to make the distribution and thickness of the crumb crust as even and compacted as possible. If you’re using an aluminum tin and you have a spare, press the spare tin on top of the crumb crust and put pressure on the top tin to make the crumbs more compact. Remove the second aluminum tin. Refrigerate the crust for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350º F. Bake the crust for 8 minutes uncovered, until it begins to smell good and is lightly browned near the crust edge. Cool at room temperature and refrigerate (or freeze for an ice-cream pie) before filling.
Fresh blueberry pie with crème fraîche
Bubby’s
Makes one 9-inch single-crust pie
This glazed open-faced blueberry pie combines the best of two worlds: the tanginess of raw blueberries and the concentrated sweetness of a simmered sauce. It is inspired by Rose Levy Beranbaum’s lovely recipe. Serve it with a dollop of homemade crème fraîche or one scoop of vanilla or buttermilk ice cream.
INGREDIENTS
• Pastry for a 9-inch single-crust pie
• 1 cup crème fraîche
• 4 cups blueberries, sorted and cleaned
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons water, divided
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lemon juice
DIRECTIONS
One day in advance, make the crème fraîche. If using a pastry dough, fully blind-bake the crust until it is golden brown; set aside to cool. For a crumb crust, follow recipe instructions.
Place 3 cups of the blueberries in a large bowl and set aside. Place the remaining cup of blueberries in a saucepan with ½ cup of the water and bring to a boil. Simmer the berries for 3 to 4 minutes, until they are cooked and liquidy. Smash any remaining berries with a spoon.
In a separate bowl, mix the cornstarch and remaining 2 tablespoons of water until smooth. Add the cornstarch slurry, sugar, and lemon juice to the sauce and stir until the sauce is boiling lightly, the starchy cloudiness disappears, and the sauce thickens to a shiny blue-black, about 2 minutes. Pour the hot sauce over the fresh blueberries and stir gently until all of the berries are coated. Pour the blueberries into the pie shell and let the pie set up for 2 hours at room temperature.
The pie is best served the day it’s made, with a dollop of crème fraîche on the side. Store the pie uncovered in the refrigerator up to 3 days.
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1 opinion for Bubby’s Pies
Nancy Mathieson
Aug 16, 2008 at 7:48 pm
Visit http://www.piecouncil.org for information on the American Pie Council and our national public relations opportunities for members. Also look at information on the 2008 APC Crisco National Pie Championships in Orlando, Florida.
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