If you think back to early last winter, you may remember all the fuss about how 2011 would be the year of the pie. Rachel Ray predicted it. Newspapers and cooking magazines touted it. Even I wrote an article about how pie would usurp the cupcake and steal the title of ‘America’s favorite sweet.’

Although the hype over pie has subsided, my interest in it hasn’t. This summer I just keep baking it and baking it. In fact, as I type this, I have a homemade lemon meringue pie cooling on the counter behind me. It may not be the year of the pie but it’s definitely my summer of pie.

While my obsession is relatively new, the dish itself is quite old. Historians believe that the ancient Egyptians created the first pie. However, they give the ancient Romans credit for the first published recipe. This was for a rye-crusted goat cheese and honey pie.

In his weighty and invaluable encyclopedia, The Oxford Companion to Food (Oxford University Press, 2006), the late writer Alan Davidson stated that the name pie may have come from magpie. The latter is a member of the crow family and known for collecting an array of things. Pies also contain an assortment of ingredients, such as fruits and custards, meats and vegetables, or, as in the case of the ancient Romans, rye, cheese and honey. Perhaps it’s a stretch but you can see how the one came to signify the other.

Early pies tended to feature meats and savory fillings. Mine, however, epitomize the traditional, sweet, American repast. Like millions before me, I load up my pie crusts with berries, cherries, apples, peaches or custards as well as with such late 20th century favorites as chocolate, peanut butter and yogurt. I blanket the fillings with a crumble, meringue, or dough or just leave leave them topless.

At one time, where I lived would have determined what type of pie I made. Southerners were known for their sweet potato, pecan, mud and chess pies while New Englanders were famed for their pumpkin and blueberry. In Florida folks ate tart key lime pies. In Pennsylvania, Dutch country molasses-rich shoofly pie reigned supreme.

Since I don’t live in a region renowned for a specific pie, I’ve been making whatever sounds tasty. This week I’m stuck on chocolate-peanut butter and lemon meringue pies. Last week it was all about chocolate cream pie from the previously reviewed Martha Stewart’s Pies & Tarts.

CHOCOLATE CREAM PIE
Adapted from Martha Stewart’s Pies & Tarts (Clarkson Potter, 2011)
Serves 6 to 8

1 store-bought chocolate cookie crust
2 1/2 cups skim milk
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, roughly chopped
2 1/2 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, roughly chopped
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup confectioner’s sugar
2 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chunks, shaved with a vegetable peeler

In a medium saucepan heat the milk and chocolate over medium heat, whisking together until the chocolate is melted and blended.

In a small bowl mix together the granulated sugar, cornstarch and salt. Add 1 cup of the milk-chocolate to the dry ingredients and whisk until well-combined. Pour back into the saucepan, whisk to combine and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until bubbling and thick, about 5 minutes.

In a medium bowl whisk the egg yolks. Add 1 tablespoon of the hot chocolate mixture to the eggs and whisk to combine. Add another tablespoon or two to the eggs and whisk. Repeat until you’ve added about 1/2 cup of hot chocolate to the eggs and then pour the egg-chocolate mixture into the saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the custard is thick and bubbles, about 2 minutes. Add the vanilla and stir to combine. Allow to cool for 10 minutes.

Pour the custard into the crust. Place a sheet of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the custard. Refrigerate for 4 hours or up to 1 day.

To make the topping, whip the cream on medium-high until soft peaks form. Add the confectioner’s sugar and whip until stiff peaks form. Spread the whipped cream over the custard and then sprinkle the shaved chocolate on top.