NORWEGIAN CULTURE
Ingredients
For the Pie Dough
1/2 to 5/8 cup margarine
1 1/2 to 2 Tbsp. sugar
1 1/8 to 1 1/2 cups flour
3 to 5 Tbsp. water, cold
For the Vanilla Cream
4 egg yolks
2/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp. vanilla sugar
1 3/4 cups whole milk, boiling
1/2 cup flour
For the Glaze
2 Tbsp. sugar
1/4 cup currant jelly or apricot marmalade
For the Pie Dough
Step 1
Be sure to use only chilled utensils as this pie dough must not get warm; use your hands as little as possible.
Step 2
Cut chilled margarine into 1-inch (2 1/2 cm) squares. Place margarine, sugar, and flour in a medium-sized bowl and cut margarine in with a pastry blender.
Step 3
Gather dough together quickly with fingertips. Add the cold water, a little at a time, using your fingers to form the dough. It should be pliant and smooth, not grainy and moist.
Step 4
Divide dough in fourths. Take one piece and place on counter. Place heel of your hand on dough and with one stroke, press and stretch out dough. Lift dough from surface with scraper and set aside. Repeat with remaining pieces.
Step 5
Gather up all dough, sprinkling a little flour on top. Wrap in plastic wrap and cool in refrigerator for at least on hour.
Step 6
Remove dough and gently press into 9” x 12” (23-30 cm) tart pan with removable bottom. Dough should be about 3/16” (8 mm) thick. Make edges even, by cutting off excess dough with a knife.
Step 7
To prevent dough from rising, prick several times with fork. Let rest 15 minutes.
Step 8
Bake at 395º F in center of the oven for 10 to 12 minutes. It is ready when it begins to leave edge and has a light, golden color. Air circulation makes pie crust crisp. Cool on rack.
Note –
If the finished pie will stand more than two hours before being eaten, “seal” bottom of crust with currant or apricot glaze. If you want to keep it longer, brush with melted chocolate. (The glaze recipe makes enough to seal the crust and to brush on the berries.) Before berries are added, cover bottom of pie shell with vanilla cream.
For the Vanilla Cream
Step 1
Beat egg yolks, sugar, and vanilla sugar until light and fluffy. It should be stiff enough that when it falls back into itself, the drips lay on top.
Step 2
Beat in the flour. While beating, add the boiling milk, drop by drop at first, then in a thin stream.
Step 3
Pour mixture into a heavy-bottomed pan and place over medium heat. Stir vigorously while it is being brought to a boil.
Step 4
Lower heat and simmer 2 to 3 minutes after boiling has begun. Remove from heat and cool.
For the Glaze
Step 1
Stir sugar and jelly or marmalade together in sauce pan.
Step 2
Place over medium heat and warm 2 to 3 minutes. Glaze should thicken to the point that drippings from a spoon are viscous. Do not simmer too long, it may turn to caramel.
Assemble the Pie
Step 1
Brush the glaze over the pie crust bottom to prevent it from becoming soggy.
Step 2
Spread vanilla cream in bottom of pie crust.
Step 3
Place berries closely together, forming a decorative pattern. Brush a thin layer of glaze over berries. Serve as is, or with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
Ekte Norsk Mat–Authentic Norwegian Cooking is available for purchase, through the Vesterheim bookstore.
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