Courage Pie

Chef George S.'s Note:

I found this on Salon's website at http://www.salon.com/mwt/feature/2008/12/20/pie_love/index1.html in an article written by Vincent Rossmeier about the joys of pie. He quotes a cookbook by Francine Segan called Shakespear'e kitchen. The original recipe from the 15th century contained sparrow brains -- an ingredient mercifully missing. I have altered the recipe slightly to suit my own taste.

• Total Time: 2 hrs
• Prep Time: 1 hrs
• Cook Time: 1 hrs

Ingredients:

Servings: 8

Crust

• 2 cups cake flour , sifted
• ½ cup ice water (or amount needed)
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg , beaten
• ½ cup unsalted butter , cut into small cubes (keep very cold)

Filling

• 1 garnet yam , peeled and diced (about 2 cups)
• 2 cups madeira wine or 2 cups cream sherry
• 2 apples , cored, peeled and diced
• ¼ cup sultana raisin (white raisins)
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• 1⁄8; teaspoon clove
• 1⁄8; teaspoon mace
• ¼ cup brown sugar , packed
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 4 egg yolks
• 2 egg whites
• 1 teaspoon rose water , which I did not use

Directions:

1. Crust.
2. Mix flour, ice water, salt and egg together until a crumbly mixture is obtained.
3. Flatten dough with a rolling pin and place 2 tablespoons of the butter.
4. Roll butter into dough, fold dough and repeat with remaining butter, adding about 2 tablespoons at a time, rolling and folding the dough before adding more butter.
5. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least and hour.
6. Preheat oven to 350°F.
7. Filling.
8. Simmer yam and wine for about ten minutes on low heat.
9. Add the apples and raisins and simmer until apples are soft, about 15 minutes. Add more wine if necessary to keep from drying out, cook a little longer if it is too sloppy.
10. Use a stick blender of food processor to puree the fruit/wine mixture.
11. Add spices, sugar and butter to mixture and stir to combine. Allow to cool to room temperature.
12. Add beaten egg yolks to cooled mixture and whisk to incorporate.
13. Beat egg whites until they hold stiff peaks and fold into mixture.
14. Press crust into a 9" deep dish pie plate, trim any extra.
15. Put filling in prepared crust and bake for 1 hour, or until a cake tester comes out clean.