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Vinegar Pie from Cook Like a Local by Chris Shepherd and Kaitlyn Goalen.

Chris Shepherd’s Vinegar Pie

This favorite dessert from the Houston chef’s Underbelly days is based on an Appalachian recipe modeled after a chess pie.

Equipment

  • 1 thirteen-inch tart pan

Ingredients  

Crust:

  • 11 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • ⅓ cup sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
  • ¼ to ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • nonstick cooking spray

Filling:

  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 5 tablespoons cornstarch
  • juice of ½ lemon
  • ⅛ to ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ cup Korean apple vinegar or neutral-toned vinegar of your choice
  • 2 cups water
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions 

  • Make the crust: In a medium bowl using a handheld mixer, mix the butter and sugar until creamy and completely combined. Add the egg and vanilla and mix until combined. Mix in the flour and salt until just combined, making sure not to overmix. Gather the dough into a ball, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 13-inch tart pan with a removable bottom with nonstick spray.
  • Place the chilled dough on a flour-dusted work surface and roll it into a ½-inch-thick round.
  • Transfer the dough to the prepared tart shell, and trim the edges.
  • Line the shell with parchment or aluminum foil and fill with weights of your choosing (dry beans or rice work well).
  • Bake for 15 minutes, or until the edges start to brown.
  • Remove the pie weights and parchment or foil and finish baking until the bottom of the crust is completely cooked, about 10 more minutes.
  • Make the filling: In a large saucepan, whisk together the eggs and sugar. Add the cornstarch, lemon juice, and salt, whisking until there are no more clumps. Mix in the vinegar and water and bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly. Let it boil for 1 full minute, then remove it from the heat and whisk in the butter and vanilla. Pour the filling into the baked tart shell and place plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pie to prevent a skin from forming. Chill overnight before serving.