I was in the mood for pie, but not in the mood for baking pie. So I compromised and whipped up a batch of cherry tarts. Standard pie crust works fine for this substitute..
These bite-size morsels give you the flavor and texture of a pie and are great as a breakfast pastry.
It got me to thinking, though: exactly where does pie come from? Not surprisingly, the concept of some sort of filling cloaked in a flour-based mixture has been around at least since the Roman Empire, and maybe even longer. This, I am learning from the American Pie Council (yes, there is such a thing).
The concept seems to have gained enough traction during the Middle Ages that the word “pye’ first appears. In those days, the crust was actually called a “coffin” and was rarely eaten; it was the filling people were after, and that was usually some sort of meat.
The American Pie Council has more details regarding pie’s evolution to dessert and its establishment at the very top of the hierarchy of after-dinner treats in the U.S. We don’t say “as American as Apple pie” for nothing.
But that fact is, whether it’s in a pie dish or wrapped as a pastry, it hits the spot this time of year.
At any rate, these tarts are quite simple. All it takes is dropping a spoonful of filling onto the crust, wrapping it and sealing it using the tines of a fork. They are delightful for breakfast, lunch or dinner.
Sherry & George 