I made this recipe to go with the Kathy Wielech Patterson interview but then I got too rambly and it seemed like too much for one post.
So here it is. This is one of several recipes in “Maryland’s Chesapeake” that were contributed by local chefs. This one comes care of Adam Snyder of Brewhouse No. 16 in Mount Vernon, Baltimore.
Oyster pie is an ideal dish for an “upscale pub” in an old firehouse. Much like oyster stew, oyster pie is ubiquitous in old Maryland cookbooks, starting with the very first cookbook published by a Maryland author – Elizabeth Ellicott Lea. She offers up not one but three oyster pie variations.
A Rich Oyster Pie, Elizabeth Ellicott Lea, 1845
As I started to cut the pastry I realized that I was making a very large quantity, so I baked this pie in my 15″ skillet, setting a new personal record for pie diameter. It’s not pretty – you have to work fast with a hot filling and pastry crust. You can also make this pie in a deep casserole dish and have more cookies later (see below recipe.)
Sadly I did not have three cups of oyster liquor sitting around and had to substitute stock. Nonetheless, this recipe made a wonderful meal for a cold January night. Several nights, actually.
Recipe:
Crust:
- 2.5 Cups flour
- 1 Teaspoon salt
- 1 Teaspoon sugar
- 8 oz cold, unsalted butter
Filling:
- .5 Lb bacon
- 2 oz butter
- 2 Cup celery
- 2 Cup parsnip
- 2 Cups diced yellow onion
- .75 Cup flour
- .5 Cup white wine
- 3 Cups oyster liquor or stock
- 4 Cup diced potato
- 2 Tablespoon whole grain mustard, prepared
- 1 Cup heavy cream
- 1 Pint shucked oysters
- 2 Tablespoons minces parsley
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- 1 egg
To make crust: Combine flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, about 10 seconds. With machine running, slowly add ¼ to ½ cup cold water until dough comes together and forms a ball. Turn the dough out onto a work surface and flatten it into a disk. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least an hour before using.
To make filling: In a large pot over medium heat render bacon in butter until crispy. Add celery, parsnips, and onions and cook until vegetables soften and sweat, about 8 minutes. Sprinkle in the flour and stir well to create a roux. Cook for 5 minutes. Pour in the wine and stir, scraping up any bits of vegetable clinging to the pan. Add the oyster liquor and potatoes. Cook until liquid thickens, then stir in the mustard and heavy cream. Add the oysters, turn the heat to low, and cook for 20 minutes. Stir in parsley, add salt and pepper. Remove mixture from the heat, and allow to cool.
To assemble pie: Preheat oven to 325°F. Scoop pie filling into a 4-quart oven-safe dish or casserole. Roll pastry out to 1/8 inch thickness and drape over pie filling. Crimp edges decoratively. Beat egg with two tablespoons of water and brush it over the crust. [I forgot to do this – K] Cut slits into the top to allow steam to vent. Bake for 30 minutes, until pastry is golden brown and filling is hot. Allow to rest 5 minutes before serving.
[Note from Kara: cut the extra crust into shapes, roll in cinnamon sugar and bake for 10-15 minutes in the oven with the pie.]
Recipe used with permission, from “Maryland’s Chesapeake: How the Bay and Its Bounty Shaped a Cuisine,” by Kathy Wielech Patterson and Neal Patterson, Globe Pequot Press 2016
