Assembling a pie can be a cathartic, thoughtful process, don’t you think?
I’ve actually thought some of my deepest, most Jack Handey-esque thoughts while assembling pies. And this boozy summertime take is no exception…
I mentally reorganized my entire closet while pulverizing a sleeve of graham crackers, mixing with melted sweet cream butter, and pressing the moist crust into my pie plate.
I planned out the rest of my week in 5 minute increments as I whisked the smooth, tequila-laced filling, making the late addition of a quarter cup of tart, freshly-squeezed lime juice.
I looked out the window, read the winds, and predicted the weather for the next couple of weeks while I cooled my prebaked crust and prepared to pour the filling. I didn’t bother to jot the forecast down – I simply committed it to memory.
I baked off my sweet, luscious pie and thought a few more deep thoughts until there was nothing left to think. My oven timer went off and with all my thoughts thinked out, I knew what I had to do: refill the tank with some thought food, otherwise known as Summertime Margarita Pie.
So here’s a pie recipe, just for you. Just in case you have some big problems to think through or a serious puzzle to solve. You’ll do your mental figuring while you bake it, and then you can refuel with the results. Way, way tastier than any abacus or Magic 8 ball.
Summertime Margarita Pie
recipe adapted from the June 2013 issue of Southern Living
1 sleeve graham crackers (9 whole crackers, approximately 1 1/4 cups of pulverized crumbs)
1 c. + 3 tbsp. white sugar, granulated, divided
3/4 c. unsalted butter, melted, divided
2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 c. buttermilk
2 tbsp. tequila (I used a good quality añejo tequila here)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 c. lime juice, freshly squeezed
coarse sea salt for finishing
zest of two limes for finishing
Preheat oven to 350°.
Place graham crackers in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and process to crumbs. Add a quarter cup of melted butter and three tablespoons of sugar and process just to combine. Remove mixture and press evenly into the bottom and up the sides of a 9″ pie plate. Bake for ten minutes until edges are slightly golden. Set aside to cool.
Meanwhile, reduce the oven temperature to 325°. Whisk flour and remaining cup of sugar together in a large bowl. Whisk in eggs, buttermilk, tequila, vanilla, lime juice and remaining half cup of butter, mixing just until combined and smooth. Carefully pour the filling over the baked crust and set plate onto a rimmed baking sheet (while this pie should fit nicely into a 9″ pie plate, I prefer to bake it on a rimmed sheet tray, just in case of overflow) and bake for 50-60 minutes or until the top is puffed and slightly golden. Remove baked pie and place onto a rack to set and cool. I recommend refrigerating overnight to chill through before topping with a sprinkle of sea salt and lime zest, slicing, and serving.
YIELD: approximately 8 servings