< PreviousxiThe sum of all ParTsIf you wish to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first invent the universe.—CARL SAGANI’ve toted my signature sour cherry pie every-where. I’ve made this pie for summer parties and winter birthdays. It’s been double-crusted, streusel-topped, or decorated with lattice or cutout stars. The filling is barely sweetened. The cherries are suspended in a glaze, clear and never gloppy. The bottom crust is crisp, not soggy. I won a blue ribbon with that cherry pie. I am that person who makes four, and more often six, pies for Thanksgiving. Until recently, every one of those pies has been unapologetically round. It never occurred to me to make a pie in any other shape.In June 2016, while tossing around story ideas with Bonnie Benwick, my editor at the Washington Post, she said, “How about a slab pie?” A pie baked in a baking sheet. Even though I am an experienced pie maker, I feared slab pie. I wasn’t sure I could successfully roll out even my own trusted pie dough into a rectangle large enough to drape over a baking sheet. As it turned out, it was easier than I thought, and in many ways, more straightforward than a round pie. For a few weeks, I became obsessed with slab pies. In time, I wrote a story for the Post with a recipe that tucked fruit and almond paste between two all-butter crusts (similar to Abso-lutely Peachy Slab Pie, page 214).The story made a splash. We heard from pie makers far and wide sharing their admiration for the sheer functionality of a slab pie. Certainly, I wasn’t the first to make a slab pie. Years earlier, Martha Stewart rolled out a slab pie on her television show. They’ve appeared in magazines and on blogs, and Pinterest is packed with slab pie images. It could be argued that baking sheet quiches, a staple of ’80s cocktail parties, were the precursor to savory slab pies.It’s no wonder slab pies are welcome at pot-lucks, church socials, and neighborhood parties. In so many ways, there is no better contribution to a gathering than a slab pie. Slab pies are eco-nomical, easily transportable, and easy to portion out to serve a crowd.PieSquared_HCtext3P.indd 10-1123/05/18 10:26 AMxiThe sum of all ParTsIf you wish to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first invent the universe.—CARL SAGANI’ve toted my signature sour cherry pie every-where. I’ve made this pie for summer parties and winter birthdays. It’s been double-crusted, streusel-topped, or decorated with lattice or cutout stars. The filling is barely sweetened. The cherries are suspended in a glaze, clear and never gloppy. The bottom crust is crisp, not soggy. I won a blue ribbon with that cherry pie. I am that person who makes four, and more often six, pies for Thanksgiving. Until recently, every one of those pies has been unapologetically round. It never occurred to me to make a pie in any other shape.In June 2016, while tossing around story ideas with Bonnie Benwick, my editor at the Washington Post, she said, “How about a slab pie?” A pie baked in a baking sheet. Even though I am an experienced pie maker, I feared slab pie. I wasn’t sure I could successfully roll out even my own trusted pie dough into a rectangle large enough to drape over a baking sheet. As it turned out, it was easier than I thought, and in many ways, more straightforward than a round pie. For a few weeks, I became obsessed with slab pies. In time, I wrote a story for the Post with a recipe that tucked fruit and almond paste between two all-butter crusts (similar to Abso-lutely Peachy Slab Pie, page 214).The story made a splash. We heard from pie makers far and wide sharing their admiration for the sheer functionality of a slab pie. Certainly, I wasn’t the first to make a slab pie. Years earlier, Martha Stewart rolled out a slab pie on her television show. They’ve appeared in magazines and on blogs, and Pinterest is packed with slab pie images. It could be argued that baking sheet quiches, a staple of ’80s cocktail parties, were the precursor to savory slab pies.It’s no wonder slab pies are welcome at pot-lucks, church socials, and neighborhood parties. In so many ways, there is no better contribution to a gathering than a slab pie. Slab pies are eco-nomical, easily transportable, and easy to portion out to serve a crowd.PieSquared_HCtext3P.indd 10-1123/05/18 10:26 AMxiixiiithe sum of All PArtsthe sum of All PArtsWithout even realizing it, I began to abandon the glass and ceramic round pie pans stacked in a drawer. Th e first slab pies I made were baked in a half sheet pan, 18 by 13 inches. Soon I realized that, while it might be the perfect size for a huge crowd, I wanted a slab pie that better suited the family dinner table. A diff erent rectangular bak-ing sheet, a quarter sheet pan 9 by 13 inches and just an inch high, fit the bill. And from that day forward, all my pies had corners: pie-squared.I began to create recipes, playing with sweet and savory options. Over four months, I made 193 slab pies. At the end of my experimenta-tion, after more than 70 pounds of all-purpose flour and nearly 60 pounds of unsalted butter, I had tweaked and nudged, tested and retested, Savory pies were diff erent. Too much salt was catastrophic and too little was a crying shame. Seasonings had to be assertive. Th e fillings had to cook for just the right amount of time. And I wanted these mealtime pies packed with vegeta-bles that were crisp and flavorful, not mushy and indistinguishable.I set out to rework old favorites into Ham and Gruyère Slab Pie (page 176) and Chicken Pot Slab Pie (page 155) and soon moved on to other flavors I love at dinner, wondering how they might work when slipped between two layers of flaky crust. And while I considered sweet slab pies the ideal option for larger gatherings, savory pies were dinner and then the next day’s lunch (Beefy Empanada Slab Pie, page 162). Or savory slab pies were the phoenix rising out of a stingy collection of leftovers (Cowboy Beef Stew Slab Pie, page 165, and “Th e Reuben” Slab Pie, page 159). We learned to love pie for lunch, as though we were eating in a proper London pub.Along with savory pies came savory crusts: cheddar-flecked, studded with caramelized onion, decorated with seeds, or with cheese scattered over the top. And then came the combinations. Th at’s the thing about pie. It’s very adaptable.Each recipe off ers suggestions for Swaps for alternate crusts, filling ingredients, and toppings. Consider the Southern-Style Tomato Slab Pie (page 115), where an alternative to the Cheddar Cheese Crust (page 39) is an All-Butter Crust (page 30). Or the Loaded Baked Potato Slab Pie (page 101), where a Pretzel Crust (page 62), pressed in, can substitute for the Caramelized Onion Crust (page 42), which is rolled out. Th e Banana Pudding Slab Pie (page 281) is luscious and traditional in a Vanilla Wafer Crust (page 66), but a Chocolate Wafer Crust (page 66) with a swipe of caramel raises this pie to a whole new level of indulgence.A beautifully turned out pie is challenging without the right dough—one that is pliable, reliable, and, of course, delicious. My pie crust recipes are sized to fit the pan precisely, with a tidy crimp around the edges. Th e crust is flaky and crispy, sturdy yet tender, easy to manage, lattice, slice, and crimp. My favorite All-Butter Crust (page 30) swings from sweet to savory without skipping a beat and takes on flavorings generously. I hope it will become your favorite crust, too.I am aware that there are doughphobics that walk among us. People for whom a terrible expe-rience has so shaken them that they swear never again to make a pie. Slab pies may be a way back to pie. Keep in mind, pie making is a skill, not a talent. A person can learn a skill and perfect it with practice. I hope the Tools and Techniques section (page 1) will help you find your own personal rhythm in pie crust, the steady motion of the pin, the easy crimping, the insouciant slashing, all greeted with comfort and ease.Nevertheless, I realize that some of you are not jumping on the rolled-out pie dough band-wagon no matter what I say. I’ve got you covered. Press-in crusts (pages 55 to 68) will fit both sweet and savory recipes. Whether speculoos or Ritz, amaretti or saltines, crumb crusts stand in with no rolling pin involved. An Olive Oil Crust (page 56) is flaky and complements most savory fillings, and the Shortbread Crust (page 59) works magic with the sweet pie fillings.While 4 cups of filling makes for a perfectly plump 9-inch round pie, a slab pie demands a generous 5 or 6 cups to assure a sufficiency of sat-isfying filling. Slab pies are 2 to 3 inches deep at the most, with squared edges and corners. Th ey’re until the crusts and fillings in the recipes that follow became utterly dependable and positively delicious.To make a slab pie is not as straightforward as just doubling any old pie recipe. It’s a diff er-ent pie altogether. Right off the bat, the ratio is diff erent: It’s twice as much crust but only half as much filling. Along the way, I learned to approach pie making diff erently. I tweaked the seasonings, tinkered with the dough recipe, and learned to rely on a pattern of frequent chilling during the pie-making process.Fruit pies were clear cut—add more fruit. Other sweet pies worked the same way, with more pudding, nuts, chocolate, or chiff on. Th e sweet pie recipes just needed a mathematical nudge. PieSquared_HCtext3P.indd 12-1323/05/18 10:26 AMxiixiiithe sum of All PArtsthe sum of All PArtsWithout even realizing it, I began to abandon the glass and ceramic round pie pans stacked in a drawer. Th e first slab pies I made were baked in a half sheet pan, 18 by 13 inches. Soon I realized that, while it might be the perfect size for a huge crowd, I wanted a slab pie that better suited the family dinner table. A diff erent rectangular bak-ing sheet, a quarter sheet pan 9 by 13 inches and just an inch high, fit the bill. And from that day forward, all my pies had corners: pie-squared.I began to create recipes, playing with sweet and savory options. Over four months, I made 193 slab pies. At the end of my experimenta-tion, after more than 70 pounds of all-purpose flour and nearly 60 pounds of unsalted butter, I had tweaked and nudged, tested and retested, Savory pies were diff erent. Too much salt was catastrophic and too little was a crying shame. Seasonings had to be assertive. Th e fillings had to cook for just the right amount of time. And I wanted these mealtime pies packed with vegeta-bles that were crisp and flavorful, not mushy and indistinguishable.I set out to rework old favorites into Ham and Gruyère Slab Pie (page 176) and Chicken Pot Slab Pie (page 155) and soon moved on to other flavors I love at dinner, wondering how they might work when slipped between two layers of flaky crust. And while I considered sweet slab pies the ideal option for larger gatherings, savory pies were dinner and then the next day’s lunch (Beefy Empanada Slab Pie, page 162). Or savory slab pies were the phoenix rising out of a stingy collection of leftovers (Cowboy Beef Stew Slab Pie, page 165, and “Th e Reuben” Slab Pie, page 159). We learned to love pie for lunch, as though we were eating in a proper London pub.Along with savory pies came savory crusts: cheddar-flecked, studded with caramelized onion, decorated with seeds, or with cheese scattered over the top. And then came the combinations. Th at’s the thing about pie. It’s very adaptable.Each recipe off ers suggestions for Swaps for alternate crusts, filling ingredients, and toppings. Consider the Southern-Style Tomato Slab Pie (page 115), where an alternative to the Cheddar Cheese Crust (page 39) is an All-Butter Crust (page 30). Or the Loaded Baked Potato Slab Pie (page 101), where a Pretzel Crust (page 62), pressed in, can substitute for the Caramelized Onion Crust (page 42), which is rolled out. Th e Banana Pudding Slab Pie (page 281) is luscious and traditional in a Vanilla Wafer Crust (page 66), but a Chocolate Wafer Crust (page 66) with a swipe of caramel raises this pie to a whole new level of indulgence.A beautifully turned out pie is challenging without the right dough—one that is pliable, reliable, and, of course, delicious. My pie crust recipes are sized to fit the pan precisely, with a tidy crimp around the edges. Th e crust is flaky and crispy, sturdy yet tender, easy to manage, lattice, slice, and crimp. My favorite All-Butter Crust (page 30) swings from sweet to savory without skipping a beat and takes on flavorings generously. I hope it will become your favorite crust, too.I am aware that there are doughphobics that walk among us. People for whom a terrible expe-rience has so shaken them that they swear never again to make a pie. Slab pies may be a way back to pie. Keep in mind, pie making is a skill, not a talent. A person can learn a skill and perfect it with practice. I hope the Tools and Techniques section (page 1) will help you find your own personal rhythm in pie crust, the steady motion of the pin, the easy crimping, the insouciant slashing, all greeted with comfort and ease.Nevertheless, I realize that some of you are not jumping on the rolled-out pie dough band-wagon no matter what I say. I’ve got you covered. Press-in crusts (pages 55 to 68) will fit both sweet and savory recipes. Whether speculoos or Ritz, amaretti or saltines, crumb crusts stand in with no rolling pin involved. An Olive Oil Crust (page 56) is flaky and complements most savory fillings, and the Shortbread Crust (page 59) works magic with the sweet pie fillings.While 4 cups of filling makes for a perfectly plump 9-inch round pie, a slab pie demands a generous 5 or 6 cups to assure a sufficiency of sat-isfying filling. Slab pies are 2 to 3 inches deep at the most, with squared edges and corners. Th ey’re until the crusts and fillings in the recipes that follow became utterly dependable and positively delicious.To make a slab pie is not as straightforward as just doubling any old pie recipe. It’s a diff er-ent pie altogether. Right off the bat, the ratio is diff erent: It’s twice as much crust but only half as much filling. Along the way, I learned to approach pie making diff erently. I tweaked the seasonings, tinkered with the dough recipe, and learned to rely on a pattern of frequent chilling during the pie-making process.Fruit pies were clear cut—add more fruit. Other sweet pies worked the same way, with more pudding, nuts, chocolate, or chiff on. Th e sweet pie recipes just needed a mathematical nudge. PieSquared_HCtext3P.indd 12-1323/05/18 10:26 AMxivnot like a round pie, where the filling might be twice as deep and the bottom crust is very slightly sloped at the edges. Some filling recipes tended to dry out when slabified. It took plenty of trial and error to find the sweet spot for thickeners where the filling has body, isn’t watery, and is never pasty or gummy. Seasoning is vital. Without salt, the filling can be lost in a sea of crust.Many of these pies sport a top crust which makes for a much sturdier slice, particularly if you’re serving on paper plates. Lattice or cutout lids are icing on the pie, especially when the fill-ing is extra juicy, as with cherries and blackber-ries. Turn to lattice or cutouts when a peek into the pie is part of the fun, as in the Just-Like- Artichoke-Dip Slab Pie (page 95). I’ve shown you some of my favorite lattices and coverings in the pages of this book, and how to do them on pages 26 to 29. Go ahead. Get fancy.Slab pies are easier to portion, unlike ex-tracting equal pieces from a round pie where the filling tumbles out and the top crust goes askew. And guests who want “just a sliver” create a whole other situation. Not so with a slab pie where pieces are square or rectangular and Chapter On TheelemenTso Pieeasily slivered or slabbed, portioning to meet the appetite. When your partner, roommate, kids, or neighbors show up at the table with a friend, I’ve given you a template for How to Slice a Slab Pie (page 304) to see just how easily these pies accommodate a crowd.Change up your pie game with slab pies. Soggy Bottoms begone. Runny fillings won’t do. Tough, pale crusts are history. I’ve honed a few techniques along the way and they appear as tips throughout the book: tricks that make slab pies roll off your pin, bake up deliciously, and lift right out of the pan.You might wonder what a cookbook author does when baking so many pies. So did I. Coin-ciding with my deep dive into slab pie, we moved to a condominium in a building with more than forty other units. In the first weeks, I was turn-ing out three or four pies a day and soon began to send all-building emails with subject lines like Coconut Cream Pie on the way to the mail-room. Bring a plate. If you are planning a move, consider slab pie. It’s the ultimate in icebreakers; slab pies are community builders.Make a pie, make a friend.the sum of All PArtsPieSquared_HCtext3P.indd 14-123/05/18 10:26 AM241sweetie PiesPear and frangiPane slaB PieWItH A PuFF PAstry CrustServes 8warm squares of buttery pastry, rich pears, and the nutty sweetness of almonds. frangipane, an almond custard, sounds fancy, doesn’t it? it’s surprisingly easy. the base for this classic filling is almond paste, found in the baking section of the grocery store. usually layered into fruit tarts, frangipane works here as a pillow for spiced pears set atop store-bought puff pastry. the simplicity of the recipe relies on some pre-planning: Practice by placing the pears on a piece of parchment before putting them on the puff pastry. Depending on their size, they may have to be head to tail, or they may snuggle in with the chubby bottoms in the center and the slim tips facing the edge of the pan. i prefer Bosc pears, but Bartletts run a close second. Pink peppercorns are sweet and tingly but they can be omitted if you can’t find them.Make Ahead: Simmer the pears up to a week ahead and store them in the refrigerator, covered in the syrup. Make the frangipane no more than a few hours ahead.Unfold the puff pastry and lightly roll it out until it fits in the slab pie pan, more or less. It is likely to be wider than needed, so trim a small piece from each side and stack it along the edge of the puff, forming a tiny raised wall. Refrigerate.Peel the pears, halve vertically, core (use a melon baller for a pretty presentation), and remove both the stem and blossom end. Heat the water, sugar, star anise, and peppercorns (if using) in a saucepan until boiling. Boil for 10 minutes, reduce the heat, and add pears. Cook them over low heat for 20 to 30 minutes, until fork-tender. Let the pears cool and steep in the syrup for 1 hour or more.Remove the pears from the syrup with a slotted spoon. (Save the syrup to gloss over the pears before baking, but also to add to a glass of seltzer water or champagne.) Place the pears on a cutting board with the cored side down and, using a sharp knife, cut into ½-inch slices crosswise across the pear, keeping the slices together. (Continued)1 sheet puff pastry (7 to 10 ounces, 200 to 285 g), defrosted if frozen, but still cold4 firm pears, identical in size and shape4 cups (960 ml) water2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar1 whole star anise pod½ teaspoon pink peppercorns, optional¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar(Continued)PieSquared_HCtext3P.indd 240-24123/05/18 10:27 AM241sweetie PiesPear and frangiPane slaB PieWItH A PuFF PAstry CrustServes 8warm squares of buttery pastry, rich pears, and the nutty sweetness of almonds. frangipane, an almond custard, sounds fancy, doesn’t it? it’s surprisingly easy. the base for this classic filling is almond paste, found in the baking section of the grocery store. usually layered into fruit tarts, frangipane works here as a pillow for spiced pears set atop store-bought puff pastry. the simplicity of the recipe relies on some pre-planning: Practice by placing the pears on a piece of parchment before putting them on the puff pastry. Depending on their size, they may have to be head to tail, or they may snuggle in with the chubby bottoms in the center and the slim tips facing the edge of the pan. i prefer Bosc pears, but Bartletts run a close second. Pink peppercorns are sweet and tingly but they can be omitted if you can’t find them.Make Ahead: Simmer the pears up to a week ahead and store them in the refrigerator, covered in the syrup. Make the frangipane no more than a few hours ahead.Unfold the puff pastry and lightly roll it out until it fits in the slab pie pan, more or less. It is likely to be wider than needed, so trim a small piece from each side and stack it along the edge of the puff, forming a tiny raised wall. Refrigerate.Peel the pears, halve vertically, core (use a melon baller for a pretty presentation), and remove both the stem and blossom end. Heat the water, sugar, star anise, and peppercorns (if using) in a saucepan until boiling. Boil for 10 minutes, reduce the heat, and add pears. Cook them over low heat for 20 to 30 minutes, until fork-tender. Let the pears cool and steep in the syrup for 1 hour or more.Remove the pears from the syrup with a slotted spoon. (Save the syrup to gloss over the pears before baking, but also to add to a glass of seltzer water or champagne.) Place the pears on a cutting board with the cored side down and, using a sharp knife, cut into ½-inch slices crosswise across the pear, keeping the slices together. (Continued)1 sheet puff pastry (7 to 10 ounces, 200 to 285 g), defrosted if frozen, but still cold4 firm pears, identical in size and shape4 cups (960 ml) water2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar1 whole star anise pod½ teaspoon pink peppercorns, optional¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar(Continued)PieSquared_HCtext3P.indd 240-24123/05/18 10:27 AMPie squared242243sweetie PiesHeat 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 page 4). Beat the sugar, butter, almond paste, egg, and flour to-gether to make the frangipane. Using a cookie scoop or a tablespoon, place 2 tablespoons frangipane in 8 spots on the pastry. You may have some left over. Nestle a sliced pear, head to tail and cored side down, atop each mound of frangipane. Press lightly so the pear slices spread out. With a pastry brush, paint a swath of syrup over the pears. Slide the pan into the oven (on top of the steel, stone, or baking sheet if using) and bake for 25 minutes, until the pastry is deeply browned and the frangipane is bubbling.Use kitchen shears to snip the pie into 8 servings. Serve warm. This pie screams for ice cream.Techniques: Puff Pastry (page 72), How to Prepare Apples (and Pears) for Pie (page 239)Swaps:• Blind bake (see page 29) a single-crust All-Butter Crust (page 30).• Use pears in syrup, straight from the can, drained well, and sliced. They won’t have the spice, but still will be delicious.4 tablespoons (56 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature3 tablespoons (50 g) almond paste, at room temperature1 egg, lightly beaten3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, siftedFor the crust: Heat the oven to 350°F; if you have one, place a bak-ing stone, Baking Steel, or inverted baking sheet on the center rack to heat (see page 4). Using a stand mixer, hand mixer, or strong wooden spoon, beat the butter and sugar together until lightened and fluffy. Add the eggs yolks one at a time and beat until fully incorporated. Mix in the extract. Add the flour and salt and mix on a low speed until a crumbly dough is formed. Divide the dough into two portions, one twice as large as the other. Wrap the smaller portion in plastic wrap and chill while assembling the rest of the pie.Turn out the larger portion of the dough into the slab pie pan and, pinching off walnut-sized pieces, press the crust into the sides, corners, and edges and across the bottom of the pan. Use your knuckles, the side of your hand, a metal cup measure, or a flat-bottomed glass to press the crust firmly and as uniformly as possible to about a ¼-inch thickness. (Continued)ShorTbreAd cruST12 tablespoons (170 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature⅔ cup (130 g) granulated sugar2 egg yolks¼ teaspoon almond extract3 cups (360 g) all-purpose flour½ teaspoon kosher salt(Continued)lefTover CranBerry sauCe slaB PieWItH A sHortBreAd CrustServes 12 to 20every year, i go a little crazy making cranberry sauce at thanksgiving. it’s so pretty—a glorious ruby red—and tart and sweet and seasonal and my enthusiasm leaves me with cranberry sauce languishing in the refrigerator long after the last bite of turkey has been consumed. meet the pie that solves my prob-lem. Based on fregolotta, a classic italian jam tart, this slab pie is quick to put together, even if thanks-giving cooking has been going on long enough.Make Ahead: Make the cranberry sauce up to 1 month ahead and freeze.PieSquared_HCtext3P.indd 242-24323/05/18 10:27 AM95sAvor A PieFor the crust: In the food processor, pulse the flour, butter, cream cheese, and salt until the fats are in small pieces coated with flour, about 15 times. Add the water all at once and process until the mix-ture almost forms a ball. Form the dough into a 6- by 4-inch rectangle using plastic wrap and a bench scraper to firmly press the dough into a cohesive form. Wrap tightly and refrigerate a minimum of 4 hours.Remove the dough from the refrigerator and allow it to warm slightly. Divide the dough into two pieces, one slightly larger than the other. Roll out the larger piece to 11 by 15 inches and place in the slab pie pan, pressing it into the corners of the pan and allowing the excess to drape over the sides. Refrigerate. Roll out the second piece of dough to 10 by 14 inches, place it on a lightly floured sheet of parchment, and refrigerate.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 page 4).(Continued)creAm cheeSe cruST2½ cups plus 2 tablespoons (325 g) all-purpose flour8 tablespoons (113 g) unsalted butter, cubed and frozen for 20 minutes8 tablespoons (113 g) cream cheese, cubed and refrigerated for 20 minutes¼ teaspoon kosher salt½ cup (120 ml) ice waterfilling2 (14-ounce) cans artichoke hearts in water (800 g), drained and chopped(Continued)JusT-like- arTiChoke-diP slaB PieWItH A CreAM CHeese CrustServes 15 to 24we all have our comfort foods, and artichoke dip is mine. it’s soothing and familiar and cheesy and goes with a rainy day and a netflix binge. next time, invite a few friends over, wrap that familiar combination in a tender cream cheese crust, and make a pie. select artichokes packed in water, not marinated or in a vinegar brine. Chop the artichokes into small pieces, pressing the liquid out as you go. the drier the arti- chokes, the better the texture and flavor of the filling. Add a lattice or open-work crust that you dusted with cheese, cut the pie into tiny bite-sized pieces, and you have a fancy pass-around for a swanky cock-tail party.Make Ahead: Combine the filling ingredients up to one day ahead.PieSquared_HCtext3P.indd 94-9523/05/18 10:27 AM95sAvor A PieFor the crust: In the food processor, pulse the flour, butter, cream cheese, and salt until the fats are in small pieces coated with flour, about 15 times. Add the water all at once and process until the mix-ture almost forms a ball. Form the dough into a 6- by 4-inch rectangle using plastic wrap and a bench scraper to firmly press the dough into a cohesive form. Wrap tightly and refrigerate a minimum of 4 hours.Remove the dough from the refrigerator and allow it to warm slightly. Divide the dough into two pieces, one slightly larger than the other. Roll out the larger piece to 11 by 15 inches and place in the slab pie pan, pressing it into the corners of the pan and allowing the excess to drape over the sides. Refrigerate. Roll out the second piece of dough to 10 by 14 inches, place it on a lightly floured sheet of parchment, and refrigerate.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 page 4).(Continued)creAm cheeSe cruST2½ cups plus 2 tablespoons (325 g) all-purpose flour8 tablespoons (113 g) unsalted butter, cubed and frozen for 20 minutes8 tablespoons (113 g) cream cheese, cubed and refrigerated for 20 minutes¼ teaspoon kosher salt½ cup (120 ml) ice waterfilling2 (14-ounce) cans artichoke hearts in water (800 g), drained and chopped(Continued)JusT-like- arTiChoke-diP slaB PieWItH A CreAM CHeese CrustServes 15 to 24we all have our comfort foods, and artichoke dip is mine. it’s soothing and familiar and cheesy and goes with a rainy day and a netflix binge. next time, invite a few friends over, wrap that familiar combination in a tender cream cheese crust, and make a pie. select artichokes packed in water, not marinated or in a vinegar brine. Chop the artichokes into small pieces, pressing the liquid out as you go. the drier the arti- chokes, the better the texture and flavor of the filling. Add a lattice or open-work crust that you dusted with cheese, cut the pie into tiny bite-sized pieces, and you have a fancy pass-around for a swanky cock-tail party.Make Ahead: Combine the filling ingredients up to one day ahead.PieSquared_HCtext3P.indd 94-9523/05/18 10:27 AMNext >