Fig & Fennel Pollen Meringue Pie

This recipe was emailed to us by Pat Shepard. After getting our fennel pollen she produced this delicious fig and fennel pollen meringue pie. The fennel pollen adds this amazing aroma to the cooking and let's not forget the taste.

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Prep Time 15 Minutes
Cook Time 40 Minutes
Cook Time 55 Minutes
Serving: 8 Slices
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Nut Pastry single-crust pie (9 inches)

Pie Crust

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cup Flour
• 1/2 cup ground nuts (or any nut flour)
• 1/4 cup Brown Sugar
• 1 tsp Baking Powder
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 3 oz. Butter (t Tbsp), unsalted, cut into cubes
• 1 Egg
• 1 Egg Yolk
• 1 Tbsp Water

Directions

1. In food processor, pulse together flours, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
2. Scatter butter on top of flour mixture and pulse until finely mixed
3. In a small bowl, mix egg, yolk, and water
4. With processor running, slowly add egg mixture
5. Stop processor and scrape bowl. Pulse until mixed well and dough starts to form a ball
6. Roll dough out to fit a 9" pie pan. Refrigerate while making filling.

Pie Filling

 Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cup Figs, dried, de-stemmed and roughly chipped (or 12 oz fig paste)
• 1 cup pitted dates
• 3/4 cup pack Brown Sugar
• 1 tablespoon Cornstarch or Tapioca Flour
• 3 Eggs
• 3 Tbsp Lemon Juice (or Water)
• 2 tsp lemon zest
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tsp Fennel Pollen * (* Sprinkle extra Fennel Pollen on top of filling before baking!)
• 3/4 cups chopped pecans

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Have unbaked pie shell ready.
3. In a food processor, combine figs, chopped dates, brown sugar and cornstarch. Add eggs, then lemon juice, lemon zest, butter, vanilla, and fennel pollen. Pulse to blend well. Add pecans and pulse to incorporate. ( To use a mixer. Chip figs and dates and mix everything untill well incorporated)
4. Place mixture in 9" pie shell and bake for 20 minutes
5. While the pie is baking, make meringue.

Meringue

Ingredients

• 1 Tsp corn starch
• 1/3 cup cold water
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar ( can use vinegar instead of cream of tartar, see method instructions)
• 1/2 cup white granulated sugar
• 4 large egg whites (room temperature)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. In a small bowl, sift together the sugar and cream of tartar. Set aside
2. In a small saucepan, whisk together the corn starch and cold water to dissolve. Heat on the stove top and stir with a whisk until the mixture gets bubbly and forms a gel. Remove from heat.
3. Place the egg whites and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer. Mix at medium speed. When the egg whites are frothy, slowly add the sugar mixture 1 Tbsp at a time. Beat until the sugar is incorporated and the mixture forms soft peaks. Add the cornstarch mixture, one tablespoon at a time. Increase the mixture speed to high, and beat until the mixture forms stiff peaks. Be careful not to over beat.
4. Spread the meringue over the pie. The trick is to seal the edges well so make sure the meringue touches the crust all the way around. Pile the meringue high and create swirls with the back of a spoon.
5. After baking the pie for 20 minutes, remove from the oven. Lower oven to 325 degrees. Top pie with meringue, forming peaks. Bake for another 20-25 minutes until meringue is evenly brown.
6. Cool the pie before eating. I like it after it's been refrigerated overnight.