National Pi Day is celebrated on March 14th (3/14) every year, a fun way to acknowledge this important mathematical constant. Pi (π) is a never-ending number (approx. 3.14159…) representing a circle's circumference divided by its diameter. But but because we love pie at Abigail's Oven, we are more anxious to celebrate whole circles of pie and not their circumferences. So here are a few suggestions to celebrate National Pi Day:
- Bake a pie! Get your hands dirty in the kitchen and bake your own delicious pie using sourdough discard. Get Martha's recipe here; https://yoursourdoughstart.com/sourdough-pie-crusts-for.../. It's a fun activity and the reward is even sweeter (or savory!).
- Eat pie! This is pretty much a given. Grab a slice (or a whole pie!) of your favorite flavor, be it sweet or savory. Think fruit pies, cream pies, quiches, pot pies, or even pizza pie.
- Pie contest! Get your friends and family together for a friendly competition. You can judge for the best-tasting pie, the most creative pie, or even the one with the most digits of pi baked into the crust.
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Sourdough Discard Pie Crust (Flaky and Buttery)
This recipe utilizes sourdough starter discard, which is the inactive portion removed during regular sourdough feedings. It's a great way to use up discard and create a delicious, flaky pie crust.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup + 1 teaspoon (125 g) all-purpose flour
- 8 tablespoons (113 g) cold butter, cubed
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon (5 g) white vinegar
- ½ cup (125 g) cold sourdough starter discard
Instructions:
- Prep the dry ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and sugar.
- Cut in the butter: Using a pastry cutter, your fingers, or two forks, cut the cold butter into the dry ingredients until the butter resembles small peas.
- Incorporate the wet ingredients: Add the sourdough starter discard and vinegar to the mixture. Use a fork to gently combine the wet and dry ingredients until a shaggy dough forms. Avoid overworking the dough.
- Form the dough: Use your hands to gently press the dough together until there are no dry bits remaining in the bowl. Shape the dough into a flat disc.
- Chilling: Wrap the dough disc in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 4 days.
- Rolling out: Lightly flour a clean work surface and rolling pin. Place the chilled dough disc on the floured surface and roll it out into a circle about ⅛ inch thick.
- Use the dough: Gently transfer the dough to your pie dish. Trim any excess dough and crimp the edges if desired. Fill your pie according to your recipe and bake according to your filling's instructions.
Tips:
- Use all-purpose flour for a flaky crust. Bread flour can be used but will result in a slightly chewier crust.
- Ensure all your ingredients, especially the butter and starter discard, are cold. This helps create a flaky crust.
- Handle the dough minimally to avoid activating the gluten and making a tough crust.
- If the dough is too dry, add a teaspoon of water at a time until it comes together. Be careful not to add too much water.
- Blind bake the crust if your pie filling is not pre-cooked. This helps prevent a soggy bottom crust. To blind bake, preheat your oven to the temperature required for your pie filling. Line the pie crust with parchment paper and fill it with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 10-15 minutes, then remove the weights and parchment paper and continue baking for another 5-10 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown.
Enjoy your delicious homemade sourdough pie crust!
Here are other ways to celebrate
Get nerdy with it:
- Memorize Pi! See how many digits of pi you can remember. The record is over 70,000 but you can set your own goal.
- Pi recitation contest! Challenge your friends and family to see who can recite the most digits of pi.
- Explore the math! Pi Day is a great excuse to learn more about pi, its history, and its uses in math and science. There are many resources online and at libraries.
Other fun ideas:
- Find pi in the real world! Look for the numbers 3, 1, and 4 appearing together in unexpected places, like license plates or prices.
- Wear your pi pride! There are many fun pi-themed t-shirts and accessories available online.
- Host a Pi Day party! Decorate with pi symbols, play pie-themed games, and of course, serve plenty of pie!
- Spread the word! Share your Pi Day celebrations on social media using #NationalPiDay.