Best Free Form Florentine Pie Recipes

FREE-FORM FRUIT AND NUT PIES

Steps:

• Toast all the pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring, until evenly brown and fragrant, about 2 to 3 minutes. Cool.
• Pulse the 3/4 cup cool pine nuts and sugar in a food processor until finely ground, about 15 times. Add the flour, cornmeal, salt, and butter and pulse until combined, about 10 more times. Add the egg and pulse until mixture comes together in a soft dough, about 5 times.
• Lay out an 8 by 11-inch sheet of waxed or parchment paper. Divide dough equally into 6 balls and place on the paper, leaving at least 4 inches between each. Press down lightly to make even disks, and cover with another sheet of paper. With a rolling pin lightly roll over the entire sheet to make rounds about 5 inches in diameter. Slide paper onto a baking sheet and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 3 days.
• Remove top sheet of paper and cut the parchment into 6 squares (around the dough circles). Place 2 heaping tablespoons of jam on each circle and spread it evenly with the back of a spoon over the crust, leaving a 1 1/2-inch border around the edges. Fold and loosely pleat the dough over the edge of the jam, to make a rustic free-form pie. (Use the edge of the parchment or a bench scraper to lift the edges of dough over; it's easier that way. See photo.) Repeat with the remaining disks.
• Whisk the egg yolk with a teaspoon of water and brush over the edges of the crusts with it. Sprinkle remaining pine nuts onto the egg wash. Refrigerate pies for 30 minutes.
• Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F. Bake pies until golden brown, about 30 minutes. Let set for 5 minutes before transferring with the paper onto a rack to cool.
• Serve warm or at room temperature, with ice cream, whipped cream or yogurt, if desired.

EASY FLORENTINE MINCE PIES

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 and line a large baking sheet with baking parchment. Mix the mincemeat, orange zest, bourbon or orange juice, ground almonds and cherries together in a medium bowl.
• Unravel the pastry on its baking parchment and stamp out as many circles as you can using an 8cm round cutter. Re-roll the offcuts and stamp out more circles until all the pastry has been used (you should get about 14 in total). Spoon 1 tsp of the mincemeat mixture into the middle of each circle, leaving a 2cm border. Gently fold the edges of the exposed pastry inwards to slightly cover the filling.
• Transfer the pies to the lined baking sheet, spaced slightly apart. Brush the pastry with the milk and sprinkle with the sugar. Bake for 18-20 mins until golden brown, then leave to cool slightly.
• While the pies cool, put the chocolate in a heatproof bowl and melt in 20-second bursts in the microwave, or melt in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, ensuring the bowl isn't touching the water. Drizzle over the pies before serving. Will keep in an airtight container for three days.

FLORENTINE MULTI-LAYERED PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F In large skillet, sauté onion and garlic in butter until soft. Add spinach, cover and cook just until spinach wilts. Drain very well and set side.
• Whisk together 3 eggs and 1 egg white. Line a 9-inch pie plate with pastry. Layer half the meat, red pepper, cheese and spinach; cover with half the beaten egg mixture. Repeat layers, pouring remaining egg mixture over top.
• Cover with pastry; seal and crimp the edges. Brush top with remaining egg yolk blended with a bit of water; slit surface. Bake pie on cookie sheet 30- 35 minutes, or until golden. Serve warm or cool.