Sesame Chess Pie
1
9-inch (23-cm) pie
Dessert
Course
Print Recipe
Ingredients
Directions
Ingredients
1 ¼ c
(250 g) sugar
3 tbsp
extra-fine cornmeal
3 tbsp
all-purpose flour
½ tsp
salt
3
eggs
2
egg yolks
¼ c
(60 ml) tahini
⅓ c
(75 ml) buttermilk
½ c
(120 ml) heavy cream
1 tsp
vanilla
1
bottom crust, crimped (1/2 recipe any crust type)
2 tbsp
white sesame seeds
The question that generated this recipe was pretty simple: What if we replaced the butter in a chess pie with a seed or nut butter? To me, tahini was the most interesting “butter” to try. The resulting recipe is a cult hit, especially in our Manhattan location, where we’ve given this pie the efficient nickname “Chessame.”
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C).
- In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, cornmeal, flour, and salt. Whisk in the eggs, egg yolks, and tahini until the texture is consistent. Whisk in the buttermilk, cream, and vanilla until smooth.
- Place the crust on a baking sheet and pour in the filling, making sure to scrape the entire contents from the sides of the bowl into the pie. Sprinkle the sesame seeds all over the filling. Bake for 20 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350°F (175°C). Bake for 40 minutes more, or until the center of the pie has puffed up.
- Transfer the pie to a cooling rack and allow to cool for 30 minutes to 1 hour before serving. Serve warm or at room temperature. The pie will keep for up to 4 days at room temperature.
Reprinted from PIE FOR EVERYONE: Recipes and Stories from Petee's Pie, New York's Best Pie Shop by Petra Paradez. Photos copyright © 2020 by Victor Garzon. Published by ABRAMS.