The Odd Fork

This apple pie was created thanks to the last cup of bulgur wheat left in the Odd's Fork kitchen. Boiled whole wheat with raisins, pomegranate seeds, almonds and cinnamon is a traditional dessert in Greece, called "Koliva" and offered in funerals. OK, this is kind of spooky but the Odd Fork always loved the earthy taste of wheat combined with nuts, raisins and cinnamon.

What if you could mix all the above in a vegan, healthy, sweet pie? Instead of pomegranate the Odd Fork used 2 red apples, walnuts instead of almonds and the result was an apple pie like no other! Oh, it is also sugar-free!

For a medium casserole or about 8 big squares:

- 1 cup bulgur wheat

- 3 cups water

- 3 whole cloves

- a whole star anise

- 1/2 tsp cinnamon

- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

- 1 1/2 cup finely ground walnuts

- 2 red apples

- 2/3 cup black raisins

- 1 1/2 tsp mix of ground cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger

- 1 Tbsp corn flour

- 1 Tbsp tahini (to grease the baking pan)

Add water in a pot and when it comes to a boil add whole cloves, star anise, cinnamon, nutmeg and the bulgur wheat. Simmer for about 20 - 30 minutes stirring often with a wooden spatula, until water is absorbed and mixture resembles a thick porridge. Remove from heat and add half the amount of walnuts. Mix to combine and place half of this mixture (as obvious, it is the "dough") onto a well tahini greased baking pan, pressing with your fingers to layer bottom of pan.

Bake the pie crust for 10 - 15 minutes, remove from oven and let it cool.

Prepare the filling: Peel the apples and remove the core and seeds. Grate them using the large blades of the grater and mix with remaining walnuts, raisins, corn flour and spices. Spread evenly the apple mixture onto the half baked pie crust and top with the remaining bulgur wheat "dough", pressing and spreading with your fingers to cover the apple pie filling as possible. Sprinkle the surface with extra cinnamon and bake in a preheated oven at 375 F for 30 minutes until is set and color slightly changes.

Let the apple pie cool, slice and serve! You can keep any leftovers in the fridge inside an airtight container for about a week.

The Odd Fork continues its tribute to chestnuts! These sweet babes above are perfect for breakfast with coffee or hot chocolate and for a late afternoon snack also, with a shot of liqueur.

For the pastry:

- 1 and 3/4 cup all purpose flour

- a package of active dry yeast (about 7 g)

- 60 ml lukewarm milk

- 1/3 cup sugar

- 50 g melted butter

- a medium egg

- some vanilla and some cinnamon 

- an egg slightly beaten (optional)

For the chestnut filling:

- 15 to 20 boiled and peeled chestnuts

- a small piece of butter (size of a walnut)

- 1/3 cup evaporated milk

- 3 tbsp sugar

- some vanilla, some cinnamon and some brandy or citrus liqueur

- 1 tbsp thick fruit marmalade (any flavor available) 

- some blonde raisins

- 1/3 cup walnuts coarsely chopped

- a bar of praline chocolate (about 180 g), coarsely chopped

Start with the filling first. Heat the milk and dissolve sugar and butter. Add chestnuts and milk mixture into blender and mix to make a smooth chestnut purée, adjusting the amount of chestnuts or milk to have the desired consistency. Transfer into a bowl and add remaining filling ingredients, mixing well. The texture should be thick, like potato mash. Set it aside and prepare the pastry. In a bowl, dissolve the yeast in milk and add 1 tbsp of the sugar. Mix and let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes. Mix all the remaining pastry ingredients except the beaten egg and add the yeast mixture, kneading until the dough does not stick on hands. Form the dough into a ball and set aside covered with a damp towel. Let it rise until doubled, about an hour.

So after that, divide the dough in three equal balls and roll each one to a thin, big circle. Cut smaller circles using a cookie cutter or glass and fill each one with a tsp of chestnut filling, sealing the edges very well (wet edges with water to make them stick together). Layer a baking pan with parchment paper. Arrange the chestnut pies, cover pan and allow them to rise in a warm place until double in volume. Once ready, brush them with beaten egg and sprinkle with sesame (if desired). 

Bake in a preheated oven, air setting, at 350 C for 15 min or until lightly brown. Enjoy them while still warm, they are fantastic!

The Odd Fork hates programs. It likes to be spontaneous and when it comes to cooking, the result of mixing leftovers with no recipe just being struck by inspiration, has often been a success!

The sweet pie above tasted -thanks to the spices, like Greek grape must cookies, a.k.a. moustokouloura. This big "cookie" though, is stuffed with a delicious sweet zucchini - raisin mixture, low in fat, vegan, high in fiber and excellent for the Odd's Fork morning coffee!

For the pastry:

- half a packet of whole grain self-rising flour (about 250 - 300 grams)
- a shot of olive oil
- a shot of cognac (or rum/whisky, anything available)
- half a cup of coconut sugar
- mix of ground cloves, ginger, nutmeg and cinnamon

For the filling:

- 4 to 5 small, tender zucchinis
- half to 2/3 cup of black raisins
- some sunflower seeds
- 2 to 3 Tbsps coconut sugar, or to taste
- a shot of cognac
- mix of ground cloves, ginger, nutmeg and cinnamon
- 2 Tbsps corn flour

The Odd Fork started with the filling first and all it had to do, was to wash and shred the zucchinis using a cheese grater. It mixed the shredded zucchinis with all the remaining filling ingredients and set the mixture aside. Someone can taste and adjust the amount of sugar and spices.
For the pastry, the Odd Fork  added  olive oil, cognac, sugar and spice mixture in its blender and mixed on high speed until sugar dissolved (as possible). It added flour to the liquid mixture and kneaded to form a soft dough that could be easily rolled by hand. Again, someone can adjust the amount of flour or use some of the filling liquids if dough is too thick.

The Odd Fork rolled half of the dough on a pan lined with parchment paper stretching it with hands, placed over it the zucchini filling and covered with the remaining half dough stretching it again by hand and carefully sealing the pie edges. It pinched the pie's surface so that steam could evaporate during baking time.
It baked in a preheated oven at at 375 F for 30-40 minutes (depending on the oven), until pie was golden brown but just to make sure, it pinched an edge and when the fork came out of the baked dough clean, it was a good sign that the pie was ready.

The Odd Fork let pie cool before cutting it. It tasted it happily and was also pleased enough to trick some little forks into actually eating their green veggies with no complaints. 😏
That's because zucchinis are well "masked" in this sweet pie and due to raisins and spices, someone can easily pass it for an apple pie!