Did you know pomegranate pie is your favorite as a Nevadan?
As you might imagine, some pretty wacky stuff crosses my desk on a regular basis, but this one ranked right up there: The Daily Meal, a food and drink “lifestyle site,” named the best pie in every state. And Nevada’s is pomegranate.
Now, I personally love pomegranates, but I feel sure I’ve never seen a pomegranate pie.
I did find a recipe for pomegranate pie, though. Pomegranates usually are in local stores around the December holidays, but this recipe uses the more readily available juice.
POMEGRANATE MERINGUE ROSE TART
For the crust and filling:
3/4 cup pistachios
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups flour
1 stick unsalted butter, cubed and chilled
1 egg yolk
1/4 cup cold water
12 ounces high-quality white chocolate, finely chopped
1/2 cup orange juice
1/8 teaspoon rose water
For the meringue:
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup pomegranate juice
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
4 egg whites
20 drops red food coloring (optional)
Combine pistachios and sugar in food processor and process until finely chopped. Add flour and process to combine. Add butter and pulse until no large chunks remain. Add egg yolk and water and mix just until combined. Transfer to counter and knead into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. On a floured counter, roll dough to 1’8-inch thick. Line a 9-inch tart pan with dough. Prick with fork over the bottom and refrigerate for 1 hour. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Bake for 20 minutes and then cool to room temperature.
Place chocolate in a medium bowl and set a fine strainer over bowl. Heat orange juice in a small saucepan over medium-high heat until it begins to simmer. Remove from heat and pour through strainer into bowl with chocolate; let sit for 1 minute. Using a rubber spatula, slowly stir rose water into mixture until smooth. Pour ganache into cooled crust and let cool completely.
For the meringue, place the sugar and pomegranate juice in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Place cornstarch, cream of tartar and egg whites in a stand mixer with a whisk and beat to soft peaks. When syrup reaches 250 degrees on a candy thermometer, pour into a glass measuring cup, and then slowly stream into the beating egg whites until all is added; add food coloring, if you like. Continue beating until glossy, stiff peaks form. Immediately pipe or cover the pie with the meringue. Chill until meringue is firm. Use a blowtorch or the broiler to brown the meringue.
Serves 10-14.
— Recipe from Saveur
Reader requests
Wanda Dailey and Ray Taylor are looking for hot cross buns.
Sonja Bunker is looking for a local source for slider buns similar to those she used to get at Fresh and Easy, which she said were “a little denser and did not mash down with the first bite.”
Vicki Desy is looking for a bakery, preferably west of the Strip, where she can get fresh pumpernickel or Russian black bread.
Mike Wrzesinski is looking for a good banana split.
And Cybele Harris asks if there are any local restaurants that serve hot muffins with butter, right out of the oven.
Readers?
Submit information to Heidi Knapp Rinella, P.O. Box 70, Las Vegas, NV 89125-0070. You also can send faxes to 702-383-4676 or email her at Hrinella@reviewjournal.com. If emailing, please put “Taste of the Town” in the subject line. Find more of her stories at www.reviewjournal.com, and follow @HKRinella on Twitter.
