Page 458 - Pie Squared

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ teaspoon grated orange or lemon zest

1 teaspoon fresh orange or lemon juice

1 egg yolk

Pinch kosher salt

2 to 3 tablespoons cherry or raspberry jam
About 2 tablespoons powdered sugar, for dusting

Heat the oven to 400°F; if you have one, place a baking stone,

Baking Steel, or inverted baking sheet on the center rack to heat
(see here).
Cut a piece of parchment to fit the slab pie pan. Dust lightly with

flour and use it as a guide to roll out the puff pastry to size. With a
sharp knife, score the surface of the pastry nearly all the way
through the dough in a tic-tac-toe pattern, to mark off either 8 or 12
portions. Slide the parchment with the pastry into the pan and
refrigerate.

In a stand mixer, or by hand, whisk the farmer cheese, cream
cheese, granulated sugar, milk, vanilla, zest, and juice until
lightened. Whisk in the egg yolk and salt and beat until no yellow

streaks remain. Use a small scoop or two spoons to plop cheese
filling on top of each portion, no more than 1 or 1½ tablespoons
each. Less is more: Too much cheese will overwhelm the pastry and
tamp down the layers, so hold back.
Use the back of a spoon to make a well in each dot of cheese and

spoon in a scant ½ teaspoon of jam. Bake the pie (on top of the
steel, stone, or baking sheet if using) until the cheese is beginning to
brown here and there and the pastry is toasty brown, 21 to 23

minutes.
Cool the pie for no more than a moment. Dust with the powdered
sugar. Ideally, slice and serve this pie barely warm. I use sharp
scissors or a pizza wheel to cut the portions along the score lines.

Technique: Puff Pastry (here)