Zucchini Pie (aka Mock Apple Pie)

Zucchini season is just around the corner and with that comes the inevitable mass quantities of it. If you are a gardener, you know exactly what I am talking about. Us gardeners are coupled with the double issue of more zucchini than we could ever consume and zucchinis big enough to feed an entire continent. If you know any gardeners, you have probably been a recipient of one of these giant zucchinis. Once you have this giant zucchini in hand you may wonder... what on earth do I do with it?

There is the classic zucchini bread of course, and maybe if you are feeling really adventurous, you may try a zucchini chocolate cake. Both of these dishes are delicious and well worth conquering that big ole zucchini but have you ever had zucchini pie? I had never heard of zucchini pie or mock apple pie but my friend Shawn Lynch stopped by the other day, and we got to talking about apple pie. He mentioned that his grandmother used to make zucchini pie. He said that no one could ever tell the difference between his grandmother's zucchini pie and her apple pie. I thought, what a brilliant idea, I must try this immediately!

I did a little searching of recipes online, but everything I saw for zucchini pie was a savory version. I then tried searching for a sweet zucchini pie and found that most people refer to it as a mock apple pie. I watched a few videos and reviewed many recipes. Most suggested blanching or pre-cooking the zucchini. I assume this theory is from the assumption that zucchini has a lot more water than an apple. That didn’t make a lot of sense to me, though. You don't blanch a raspberry for pie just because it has a lot of water in it!

So I just adapted TCB's Famous Apple Pie recipe for the zucchini and made it in the exact same fashion. I upped the flour a little bit to account for the additional moisture in the zucchini and upped the sugar and acid in the pie to compensate for the lack of both in the zucchini. The results were stellar!

Zucchini Pie (aka Mock Apple Pie)

Scroll down for a printable version of this recipe

Yield: 1 pie

Prep time: 1 hour

Inactive time: 2 hours to 72 hours

Bake time: 1 1/2 hours

For the filling:

3 pounds of zucchini

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 cup flour

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon citric acid or 1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 teaspoons vanilla

For the crust:

2 cups all purpose flour

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter

1/4 cup shortening

2 tablespoons sugar

pinch of salt

1/3 cup cold water

1/4 cup of heavy cream to brush on pie

2 tablespoons sugar to sprinkle over top of pie

Step 1: Make the Crust

Feel free to purchase a pre-made crust but for the ultimate pie experience, follow this recipe.

1. Place flour, sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade.

2. Cut the butter and shortening into small pieces and add to processor. Be sure to keep them as cold as possible.

3. Pulse the mixture until crumbly and the fat is in small pieces throughout the flour.

4. Working quickly, start the processor and add cold water until the mixture just forms a ball.

5. Turn out dough onto a work surface and shape into an oval.

6. Cut the dough in half and press the cut side down to form two disks. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 3 days before rolling out.

Step 2: Preheat the Oven

1. Preheat oven to 375º (or 350º convection).

Step 3: Make the Filling

1. Peel the zucchini.

2. Dice into one inch cubes. If there are large seeds (like the size of a cucumber seed), remove those seeds.

3. Toss the zucchini, flour, sugar, cinnamon, citric acid/lemon juice, vanilla, and salt in a large bowl to mix. Let sit while rolling dough.

4. Lightly dust a clean surface with flour and roll out one disk of dough into a 1/8-inch-thick circle. Tip: As you’re rolling, lift and turn the dough occasionally to ensure it does not stick.

5. Gently roll the dough onto the rolling pin, lift, and place into a 9- or 10-inch pie dish or seasoned cast iron skillet. Gently push the dough to fit the pie dish, allowing excess to hang over the edge.

6. Add the filling to the pie. Sprinkle pieces of butter on top of the filling.

7. Roll the second disk of dough into a 1/8-inch-thick circle. Insert a knife in several places through the top crust to create vents. Place the top portion of dough over the filling and trim the edges of the crust, leaving about 1 inch of excess dough all around.

8. Close the crust by folding the edges under and pinching or using a fork to crimp. Brush the top of the pie with heavy cream and sprinkle generously with sugar.

9. Place the pie on a parchment-lined sheet tray, and bake until the filling is bubbly in the center, the zucchini is tender and the top crust is golden brown, about 1 1/2 hours.

10. Allow to cool before slicing and serving.

Want to learn more ways to use up your excess zucchini this year? Try one of these upcoming cooking classes:

• Hands-On Summer Canning and Pickling on Saturday, June 10 11am featuring Pickled Zucchini and Yellow Squash
• Hands-On Vegetarian Boot Camp on Saturday, June 24 at 10am featuring Quick Pickled Zucchini, Lentil and Arugula Salad with Feta-Lemon Vinaigrette 
• Hands-On Grilling Boot Camp on Saturday, July 15 at 10am featuring Grilled Pizza with Charred Peppers, Zucchini and Goat Cheese
• Hands-On Vegetarian Tex Mex on the Grill on Friday, July 21 at 6pm featuring Grilled Zucchini, Red Onion and Corn Salad with Pico de Gallo Vinaigrette and Tortilla Chip Croutons