Friday is PIE DAY!

Women Who Really Cook is a fantastic local organization filled with women who make food their living, or like me, make food a little part of their work. However big a role food takes in each of our lives, we all love food, and we are all there to support each other in any way we can. Monthly meetings are held at rotating member owned locations. Last week, our meeting was at Annona Gourmet. Oil and vinegar "bars" have been getting a lot of press lately, but I had yet to visit one. Jean Rarick, the owner, had wonderful sample food out highlighting the various vinegars and oils she carries in the shop.

Flavored balsmics seemed like a natural fit for some exciting new pie creations, so I purchased a few, and their fig balsamic inpired this new pie!

Custard Pie with Balsamic Figs and Bananas

single 10" pie crust

1/4 cup fig balsamic vinegar
1 T brown sugar
5 fresh figs, sliced thickly
2 large bananas, sliced thickly

4 eggs
2 cups milk
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 t vanilla
1/4 t salt

-combine balsamic and brown sugar in medium nonreactive skillet
-bring to a boil, stirring constantly
-reduce to a simmer
-simmer 10 minutes, stirring as needed to prevent burning
-add sliced figs and bananas to skillet
-stir to coat fruit
-simmer additional 10 minutes, stirring occasionally
-remove from heat and let cool completely

I grabbed a taste of this right after it was done, and had to hold myself back from just grabbing a spoon and eating the whole bowl. I honestly didn't expect to find it so tasty on its own...would be fantastic spooned over vanilla ice cream for an easy summer dessert!

But for our purposes today, on to the custard....

-in large bowl, whisk eggs and milk together for 2 minutes
-add sugar, vanilla, and salt
-whisk additional 2 minutes
-pour into prepared pie crust
-bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes
-reduce heat to 350 degrees
-bake 15 minutes
-carefully remove from oven and spoon fruit mixture onto top of pie
-bake 20 minutes, until firm
-cool on rack

I LOVE this pie. The simple custard is the perfect base for all that fruity, tangy, rich fruit.
Happy, happy PIE DAY!
xo Christine

copyright (c) Pies and Aprons June 2012