Free-form Fruit and Nut Pies

These are the perfect starter pie -- they're supposed to look rustic, so don't stress about making them picture-perfect. It's a simple dough, a little jam, and you've got a delicious, easy single-serving pie that's perfect for a light dessert, an afternoon treat, or even breakfast.

Free Form Fruit and Nut Pies Courtesy: Food Network Kitchens 3/4 cup pine nuts, plus 2 tablespoons more for topping 1/4 cup sugar 3/4 cup all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon stone-ground cornmeal (yellow or white) Pinch fine salt 3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, sliced 1 large egg 1 cup fruit jam or preserves 1 large egg yolk Serving suggestion: Ice cream, whipped cream or yogurt Toast all the pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring, until evenly brown and fragrant, about 2 to 3 minutes. Cool. Pulse the 3/4 cup cool pine nuts and sugar in a food processor until finely ground, about 15 times. Add the flour, cornmeal, salt, and butter and pulse until combined, about 10 more times. Add the egg and pulse until mixture comes together in a soft dough, about 5 times. Lay out an 8 by 11-inch sheet of waxed or parchment paper. Divide dough equally into 6 balls and place on the paper, leaving at least 4 inches between each. Press down lightly to make even disks, and cover with another sheet of paper. With a rolling pin lightly roll over the entire sheet to make rounds about 5 inches in diameter. Slide paper onto a baking sheet and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 3 days. Remove top sheet of paper and cut the parchment into 6 squares (around the dough circles). Place 2 heaping tablespoons of jam on each circle and spread it evenly with the back of a spoon over the crust, leaving a 1 1/2-inch border around the edges. Fold and loosely pleat the dough over the edge of the jam, to make a rustic free-form pie. (Use the edge of the parchment or a bench scraper to lift the edges of dough over; it's easier that way. See photo.) Repeat with the remaining disks. Whisk the egg yolk with a teaspoon of water and brush over the edges of the crusts with it. Sprinkle remaining pine nuts onto the egg wash. Refrigerate pies for 30 minutes. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F. Bake pies until golden brown, about 30 minutes. Let set for 5 minutes before transferring with the paper onto a rack to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature, with ice cream, whipped cream or yogurt, if desired. What counts is not necessarily the size of the dog in the fight - it's the size of the fight in the dog...... Dwight D. Eisenhower

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