Manchego Chess Pie

Sep 11

Written By Erin McDowell

MAKES

One 9 inch / 23 cm pie

TAKES

Prep time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Cook time: 35 minutes
Total: 1 hour 50 minutes

Print Recipe

✻ ABOUT THIS RECIPE

Chess pie is a classic custard pie, thickened with eggs and cornmeal. It’s typically a sweet pie, often flavored with lemon or chocolate. In my book, Savory Baking, I wanted to take classic pie preparations like this and reimagine savory versions of them. Manchego is the perfect salty addition to this classic custard pie—it’s incredibly flavorful and is delicious with the silky texture of the custard.

INGREDIENTS

One recipe All Buttah Pie Dough, Par-Baked + cooled completely

226 g / 4 large eggs

230 g / 1 cup buttermilk

5 g / 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

50 g / 3 tablespoons fine yellow cornmeal

28 g / 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

2 g / ½ teaspoon fine sea salt

2 g / ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 g / ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika

125 g / 1 ¼ cups finely grated Manchego cheese

quince paste or preserves, as needed for serving

Never Par-Baked? Never Fear!

METHOD

1. Heat the oven to 375°F / 190°C. Place the pie crust inside the pie plate on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, buttermilk, vinegar, and cornmeal until well combined.

3. Add the melted butter and whisk well to combine. Add the salt, pepper, paprika, and cheese and mix to combine.

4. Pour the custard into the prepared crust, and transfer to the oven. Bake until the custard appears set around the outside edge, but is still slightly jiggly in the center, 35 to 40 minutes.

5. The pie is delicious slightly warm, but I usually serve it at room temperature, letting it cool completely on a cooling rack. Serve with a slice of quince paste or preserves on top (see Note).

NOTES

If you can’t find quince paste, you can serve slices with a dollop or thin spread of preserves. Anything that will cut through the richness will work well—I especially like fig, apple, or pear.