yam pie

aka. how to make the house smell cozy.

i'm feeling a little depressed today, if only because i'm getting used to my maternity leave. it's harder than one would expect to end the rat-race and always hauling my pregnant butt to a full time job in the downtown east side. now with the time to BREATHE and THINK, go figure, my adrenal glands aren't totally worn out with the tension of other peoples problems. i reckon, this low feeling is just me shifting gears. that's my new mom brain figuring stuff out!

here's how to properly cook on a vancouver rainy day.

start, roast three big organic yams un-peeled, chopped. tossed in grape-seed oil. put some water in the bottom of the roasting pan for steaming. an hour max, 350 degrees. until they're getting soft.

let them cool in a covered bowl for half and hour, to soften them more. meanwhile, make the pastry.

half a stick (or slightly more) of cold butter. YUM. cut into cubes in a cold bowl. sift unbleached white flour gradually, mashing into butter with a whisk. keep adding flour and mashing until there is a meal, grains of flour coated butter chunks smaller than corn kernels. add a few tablespoons of cold water and knead lightly until the meal makes a ball. wrap in wax paper, stick in fridge.

mash up the yams using a fork. it'll take a while but oh well, it is a good action for working out emotion. i felt better after doing it, i promise, so will you. mix the mushy yams with half a cup of goat milk, a free range egg, some melted butter, cinnamon, fresh nutmeg (tonnes, it smells like heaven) and bunch of brown sugar. DOUBLE YUM.

then roll out the pastry ball on the floured counter. keep rolling, folding with flour so it doesn't stick, until the pastry is easy to handle and will overlap the pie plate.

chill pastry lined plate 10 mins, go pet the kitties. return and add the filling.

roll a nice crust, sprinkle with a tonne of brown sugar. bake 350 for as long as it takes to golden the crust.

cool to set. smell the love. when the time is right, eat that yam pie! make a cream cheese sauce if you really want to lose your damn mind.

LANA*