Not every great meal requires a lot of cooking or ingredients. This weekend, for instance, featured hot dogs. Not just any hot dogs, however. My favorite dog up to this point has been any variety of Hebrew National. As many of you probably know, though, Costco is renowned for their $1.59 hot dog and drink deal. And it’s a very good deal because it’s a very good wiener! People are known to go to Costco just for lunch to get their all-beef hot dog.
When I was in Costco last month, I headed to the frozen section as they sometimes have very good deals on Hebrew National. For the first time I saw they carried their own, Kirkland, brand of beef hot dogs. I figured if they were the same as the ones they serve up, I couldn’t go wrong, and I was right. They are delicious. Highly recommended.
A good hot dog is only enhanced by a good bun, of course. And, wow, did I find one. I was in Albertson’s and was snagged as I walked in by a display that contained, among other things, fresh-baked, brioche hot dog buns. They were even split down the top, rather than cut through from the side. Just perfect for making a chili dog or the like.
The rolls were so good I went back and bought a dozen more this morning to have on hand in the freezer next to the Kirkland hot dogs.
I did do one bit of baking: a raisin pie. In the past, I have just bought pie crusts for any pies I’ve made as I had always heard how difficult pie doughs were. I have seen several recipes that purport to reveal the magic ingredient or technique that will assure perfect crust, but had not had the nerve to try them.
The other night, though, I was watching an episode of Milk Street that showed how to make a dough the actually looked quite doable and I tried it on Sunday. Making it was “a piece of cake”, so to speak!
I have a neighbor who knows a thing or two about pie crusts and I tried the pie out on her. She asked if I had used lard in it; her family had always used lard and she was very skeptical that any non-lard crust would be up to her standards. To her surprise, my pie crust met and surpassed them!
If you haven’t had raisin pie, it’s very simple and quite easy. Here is the recipe:
Raisin Pie
- 1 cup raisins
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon cloves
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice or vinegar
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 egg yolks, beaten
- 2 egg whites
- 1 unbaked pie shell
- Put raisins in sauce pan and cover with water. Cook until nearly dry. Cool slightly.
- Add remaining ingredients up through egg yolks and combine.
- Beat egg whites until stiff, fold into raisin mixture.
- Pour mixture into unbaked shell and bake at 350° for 45 minutes (may be done earlier than this, check it early on).
And here’s the recipe for the pie crust:
Milk Street Pie Dough
- 3 tablespoons water
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (159 grams) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 10 tablespoons salted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces and chilled
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
Don’t skip the sour cream; it’s key for a tender crust. And don’t skimp on the pie weights if blind baking; use enough to come 3/4 of the way up the sides.
01
In a small bowl, whisk together the water and cornstarch. Microwave until set, 30 to 40 seconds, stirring halfway through. Chill in the freezer for 10 minutes.
02
Once the cornstarch mixture has chilled, in a food processor, combine the flour, sugar and salt and process until mixed, about 5 seconds. Add the chilled cornstarch mixture and pulse until uniformly ground, about 5 pulses. Add the butter and sour cream and process until the dough comes together and begins to collect around the blade, 20 to 30 seconds. Pat the dough into a 4-inch disc, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 48 hours.
03
If blind baking, heat the oven to 375°F with a rack in the middle position. On a well-floured counter, roll the dough into a 12-inch circle.
04
Hang the dough over the rolling pin and transfer to a 9-inch pie pan. Gently ease the dough into the pan by lifting the edges while pressing down into the corners of the pan. Trim the edges, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang, then tuck the overhang under itself so the dough is flush with the rim of the pan. Crimp the dough with your fingers or the tines of a fork, then chill in the freezer for 15 minutes.
05
To blind bake, line the chilled crust with foil and fill with pie weights. Bake until the edges are light golden brown, about 25 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. Remove the foil and weights and bake until the bottom of the crust just begins to color, another 5 to 7 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack for 1 hour before filling. Once baked and cooled, the crust can be wrapped in plastic wrap and kept at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Tuples and Attributes 