It's time to get away from sweets at least for a bit. I know that I've certainly had my fill over the holidays and it's nice to get back into cooking for cooking's sake – rather than bake for others or churning out cookies to give away as gifts. And maybe you've made a resolution to spend more time preparing your own food rather than going out to restaurants or eating something quick from a package. If so, let this recipe steer you back into the kitchen. It's a goodie.
I made an almost exact pie last summer that was incredible. It was filled with fresh tomatoes, basil and corn from the cob, but now that it's winter, I needed to adapt. This version is the result. The brightness of the lemon is present, but this meal gets cozy with a good pungent cheese, caramelized onions and earthy and abundant winter squash. While the recipe does have a lot of steps, it's quite simple once you get into the swing of things. The dough is a simple biscuit dough which is so much easier to make than a traditional pie dough. Chopping and slicing and a bit of stirring (and maybe something upbeat on the hi-fi) will get you back into the swing of things and onto your next resolution.Squash & Caramelized Onion Biscuit Pie
1 recipe of your favorite biscuit dough (minus the dill, onion & cheddar - but add 1/2 t dried oregano if you wish)
2 T mayonnaise
zest of 1 lemon
juice from 1/2 lemon
1 small to medium sized winter squash, peeled & sliced
1 T olive oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1/2 c corn (frozen is fine)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
a pinch or two of kosher salt
1/2 t Herbes de Provence (or a bit of oregano & thyme)
1/4 c Swiss cheese, shredded
egg wash, milk or melted butter
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix up your biscuit dough and divide the dough in half. Roll out one ball of dough into a circular shape and line it into a pie plate.
2. In the meantime, steam the squash in a steamer basket until tender, about 15 minutes or so. In a large heavy skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat and saute the onion slices slowly until brown, fragrant and caramelized, about 15 to 20 minutes. Set aside.
3. Mix together the mayo with the lemon zest and juice and set aside.
4. Layer in half of the squash slices to line the bottom and sprinkle with a small pinch of kosher salt, herbs, and some fresh black pepper. Add half the corn and half of the caramelized onions and drizzle over half of the mayo mixture. Repeat. Sprinkle the top of the pie with Swiss cheese.
5. Roll out the remaining ball of dough and top the pie with it. Seal the edges and try to make a pretty scalloped edge, if you wish. Cut in a few vents to let the steam escape and brush the top with a bit of egg wash, milk or melted butter. Put in the oven to bake for about 30 minutes until the filling is bubbling and the top is golden. Remove from the oven and get ready to experience your first fulfilled resolution of the year.
