Whether you’re a math geek with a passion for all things 3.14 or a numbers novice who just likes having a good excuse to make a pie, March 14 is a day to celebrate! We’ve got you covered for all of your Pi Day festivities, with two easy pie recipes from the CIA kitchens—one sweet, one savory. Dessert and dinner!
Rhubarb Tart
Tarte à la rhubarbe is a popular dessert in the Lorraine region of France, where the temperature of the area and the soil type support the growth of this delicious vegetable, often mistaken for fruit.
Makes 6 servings
1 sheet frozen puff pastry (1⁄2 pound)
3 1⁄2 cups sliced rhubarb (about 6 or 7 stalks)
3⁄4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup sugar
1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled
1 cup crème fraîche
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Roll out the puffy pastry into a circle 11 inches in diameter and about 1⁄8-inch thick, and transfer to a baking sheet. Form a border in the pastry by roll-pleating the edge of the dough.
- Arrange the rhubarb neatly on the pastry, in shingled layers in circles very close together. Brush them with melted butter and sprinkle them with the sugar.
- Bake the tart for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the rhubarb is soft.
- Finely grate the ginger and add it to the crème fraîche. Allow to steep in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. Pass the cream through a cheesecloth to remove the ginger.
- Allow the tart to cool for 30 minutes. Cut it into wedges and serve with the ginger cream.
Source: The CIA cookbook Bistros and Brasseries
Caramelized Onion Quiche
Using store-bought pie crust makes this savory dish a snap to prepare.
Makes one 9-inch quiche
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 1⁄2 cups thinly sliced yellow onions
3⁄4 cup heavy cream
3⁄4 cup milk
3 large eggs
1⁄2 tsp salt
1⁄4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 1⁄4 cups grated provolone cheese, divided
One prepared 9-inch pie crust, pre-baked
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Heat olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add onions and sauté, stirring frequently, until golden and very soft (caramelized), about 15 minutes.
- Remove and reserve.
- Whisk together heavy cream, milk, eggs, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl.
- Add the caramelized onions and 1 cup of the cheese. Pour egg mixture into the pie crust. Sprinkle remaining cheese over the top.
- Set the quiche pan on a baking sheet and bake until a knife blade inserted in the center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. If the pie crust begins to over brown, cover edges with strips of aluminum foil. Remove the quiche from the oven and cool on a wire rack. Let the quiche rest at least 20 minutes before cutting in pieces. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.
Source: The CIA Breakfasts & Brunches cookbook