Page 150 - United States of Pie

Poppy Seed Pie

Poppy seed pie has been a mainstay on the menu at Rudy’s
Diner, a family-run institution in Brillion, Wisconsin, for more than
sixty years. I discovered the recipe for this unexpected pie in Joanne
Raetz Stuttgen and Terese Allen’s Cafe Wisconsin Cookbook, a
compendium of Badger State diner and roadhouse specialties.

My first association with poppy seed–centric desserts is with
Eastern European–style Danishes and their dense, sweet, and sticky
filling. This pie bears no resemblance to those old-school pastries.
Essentially, this is a cream pie: poppy seeds are folded into a simple
vanilla pudding and the cooled pie is crowned with whipped cream
and garnished with more seeds. There’s only a tablespoon of poppy
seeds mixed into the pudding, and half that much used as a garnish.

The seeds are crunchy, popping under your tongue, but in terms of
flavor, the poppy seeds play more of a supporting role, letting the
custard take center stage. The pie is delicately sweet, almost
refreshing.

1 Graham Cracker Crust or Vanilla Wafer Crust

3 large egg yolks
3 tablespoons cornstarch

2 cups whole milk
½ cup sugar
Pinch of kosher salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1½ tablespoons poppy seeds
1 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar