National Pie Day January 23, 2021! It’s a worthy day to celebrate — after all, pie is such a versatile food; it can be sweet or savory and it comes in all different sizes. I don’t know anyone who doesn’t love some kind of pie.
And it shouldn’t be wasted, of course. Not only because it’s so darn delicious, but because food waste is a major issue in this country and all across the world. Here are three strategies to make sure you make the most of your pies.
Strategy 1: Use Leftover Pie Dough
There always seems to be leftover pie dough when you’ve finished making a pie. If you find yourself in that situation, don’t despair. I have a couple of options for you.
Here’s a delicious (and easy) recipe that my mom always made to use up her extra pie dough.
First, roll out dough scraps to approximately 1/4-inch thick. Then cut your dough into strips or cut with a cookie cutter. Place dough pieces on a lightly greased or parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Brush dough with melted butter and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Bake for 8 to 12 minutes, until the bottom edges are golden brown. Yum!
If you don’t have time to use up your extra dough right away, know that freshly made dough will last up to 48 hours in the refrigerator and up to three months in the freezer. For frozen dough, allow 12 hours for it to defrost in the refrigerator before use.
Another delicious — and healthy option — for your leftover pie dough is Apple Pie Stuffed Apples, from the Two Purple Figs blog.
Strategy 2: Use Leftover Pie
If you have pie leftover from your National Pie Day celebration (or from Sunday dinner with the family), here are some yummy ways to make sure that pie doesn’t go to waste.
Make Pumpkin Pie S’mores from your leftover pumpkin pie, with a super-easy recipe from Delish.com.
Make a leftover pie parfait. Layer your fruit pie with pecans, plain yogurt, and sliced berries. This is a perfect breakfast or brunch item for the day after a big holiday party, when you might have a little bit left from a number of different pies.
Strategy 3: Have No Pie Left Over
If you make an irresistible pie, you’re less likely to have leftovers. I love the cookbook Barefoot Contessa Family Style by Ina Garten, and my favorite recipe in the book is Ina’s Deep-Dish Apple Pie. It starts with 4 pounds of Granny Smith apples and ends with a mouthwateringly delicious pie. Thanks to Ina’s detailed instruction, it turns out perfectly each time I’ve made it and we never have any leftover pie.
Happy pie baking!