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This is the first year I decided to make a homemade pie for Thanksgiving... um... O.K. I take that back, I've tried before and failed miserably, so this year was my mission to make the first EDIBLE HOMEMADE Thanksgiving pie... And since I was doing all the hard work I decided to make MY favorite... Banana Cream Pie. Clearly I don't consider myself much of a baker, but if you're going to do it you might as well do it all the way meaning everything from scratch -- NO BOXES. Now the important part to mention here is, I probably gained the baker's courage because I was attempting this in my brother's kitchen with all his fancy equipment (or at least baking gadgets and gizmos I don't have), while he was working on the pie crust. My brother Christos is a chef and loves to bake, so I figured if I had any doubts or questions no problem, I was in the right kitchen.
I used a recipe from the Food Network, not realizing 24 egg yolks meant I was baking 3 pies, not just one. As I was already midway my brother said to me, "You know this isn't for one pie right?" I replied, "Um, no why, how many is it for?" Yet it truly was easy enough to make, and it comes out so good people will be flocking over to try it so better to have more than less.
So here goes a step by step process with some tips, and should you like to print out the actual recipe click on the Food Network link above.
First Step:
Mix 8 cups of Milk with one whole, split vanilla bean, or a table spoon of vanilla extract, and 1/4 teaspoon salt over medium heat whisking every so often waiting for it to boil. When it has boiled leave for an extra minute and mix.
Second Step:
As the milk is getting ready to boil, whisk the 24 egg yolks and 2 2/3 cups sugar together until it becomes thick and pale yellow, then gradually add the 1 cup cornstarch. TIP: When Measuring powders (corn starch, flour, sugar, etc.) use a dry measuring cup as seen on the right, whereas when measuring liquids use a wet measuring cup).
Third Step:
When the milk mixture is ready take off heat and add half of it slowly to the yolk mixture while whisking.
Fourth Step: Pour the yolk-milk mixture back into the saucepan with the rest of the milk mixture and cook, whisking frequently and until the mixture boils. Then reduce heat to medium-low and cook for another 7 minutes. Mixture should become thick like a custard.
Fifth Step:
By the time the custard has set, you should already have 6 tablespoons of unsalted butter cut, and 5 big or 6 regular size ripe bananas cut. Then fold both into the custard. TIP#1: I cut 5 bananas and smashed the sixth, while also smashing the ends of the bananas using a fork. This gives the custard more of a banana flavor while also having some cut pieces. TIP#2 If you don't have RIPE bananas like I didn't, you can put them in a brown paper bag over night and that should help, or in my case since it didn't help, the recipe still works wonderfully and tastes delicious.
Finished Product for Pie Filling:
Once the pie filling is complete add it to your pie shell and refrigerate it over night, or for at least seven hours. When ready to serve add the fresh whipped cream, which is simply combining confectionery powder and heavy cream in a beater on low to medium speed. Voila! Magnifique!
Pie Crust:
This is my brother Christos' pie crust recipe for five 9' inch round pie tins (I know... I know... can't be a recipe for one, only 3 or 5). The ingredients are as listed, but you can watch the videos below to see how makes it which isn't as hard as I thought.
2 lbs. Flour
1 lb. Unsalted Butter
5-8 Ounces Water (depending on humidity)
1/4 cup Granulated Sugar
This is the pie crust prior to cooking. Before attempting to roll it out, it is important to let it sit out at room temperature for 5-10 minutes (it will make it much easier to roll and stretch).
Once it is ready to cook, pre-heat the oven to 350F on bake. Line the pie crust with parchment paper and fill it with pie weights which could be rice or beans. It takes approximately 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for a few minutes before removing pie weights. Once weights are taken off, poke bottom of pie crust with fork a few times and return to oven and cook for an additional 5-10 minutes until the crust is golden. Which looks perfectly like the picture to the right.
The other plus about making more than one pie for Thanksgiving is you get to dig in before the big dinner... I mean after all that work who really wants to wait. So I can tell you full of confidence and pride that I have made the first completely homemade Thanksgiving pie that tastes absolutely DELICIOUS! Thank you Christos for the moral support and help, and I think we have a new tradition yet again. Happy Thanksgiving everyone... Enjoy the day with family and friends full of great food and merriment!
There are some significant dates coming up that are interconnected. Dates that have inspired me to take a historical glance at food from the 1950s to present day in America, because of two very important men, and especially one in particular.
I am making this personal connection because as my family and I think about and honor Pappou Jimmy on the memoriam of his one year death, one thing in particular that I remember which connects to President Kennedy, is how Pappou would readily extol to us kids growing up or anyone else for that matter, "Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country." My grandfather had a large portrait of President Kennedy framed over his desk, and would point at it to me while emphasizing, "Education is the key. Be smart."
Those famous inaugural remarks of 1961 resonated so strongly to my Pappou even though he had recently immigrated to the U.S. from Greece in 1955. Pappou Jimmy literally loved President Kennedy and probably for the same reasons as many — the young president's optimism, hope, unwavering belief in accomplishing great deeds, and most definitely his charm, as Pappou Jimmy himself never ran out of charm. For my grandfather, I also believe it was Kennedy's strong sense of family, not only for the Camelot portrait of his elegant wife Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy and two adorable kids in the White House Carolyn and John F. Kennedy Jr., but the enduring bond with his brothers, sisters and parents that of course extended to cousins, uncles and aunts... Let's face it, we're talking about the American version of an aristocratic family which included playing football and admiring the beautiful shores of Hyannisport.
When I was old enough to discuss history with Pappou he would tell me stories on a wide range
of topics whether those be about his homeland in Greece, or his adopted country that he respected and loved for giving him the opportunity to dream big, and make him a successful restaurateur able to provide for his family.
Speaking about meat, guess what Pappou Jimmy's favorite meat was... HINT: he's Greek for crying out loud... drum roll... Of course the answer is LAMB! And one of my favorite ways he prepared it was in his most delicious recipe of slow cooking lamb pieces in a red wine tomato sauce called Moschari Kokkinisto, which he accompanied with either orzo or large noodles. Lucky for me he taught my mom how to make it just as perfect.
1955, Welcome to Worcester... or better yet, to the USA from Epirus, Greece.
Pappou Jimmy quickly learned the staple dishes that were invented during the Great Depression of the 30s, which were inexpensive and used minimal meat, which carried on to the 50's and beyond. This includes: Macaroni and Cheese, Meatloaf, Hamburgers, Chili and any kind of casserole. Pappou Jimmy carried the tradition of his famous Meatloaf Dinner cooking it every week at his daughter's restaurant in Holden, MA called Val's Restaurant. They continue to follow pappou's recipe to this day and is the hit seller every Tuesday. Otherwise the 50s brought on the distribution of processed food because of transportation with our new highway system -- so we're talking frozen dinners, Swanson's TV Dinners, Canned Soups, Frozen Fish Sticks and what better to have on the side of the highway other than... you guessed it: McDonald's. 1964, The West Side Diner, Chandler Street (Fun statistic: Greek Immigrants founded more than 600 diners in the NY region from the 50s-70s.) After a few years of working at different places and learning the language, Pappou Jimmy opened his own place, The West Side Diner. Coincidentally, Worcester is the hometown to the first commercial diners called The Worcester Lunch Car in 1887. Back to Pappou, the West Side Diner sat approximately 25 people and he did the cooking while my yiayia Mary was at the counter taking orders. So all the recipes that he learned, he was putting to good use here offering comfort food listed above, plus any kind of sandwich you could think of.
One sandwich in particular that Pappou was known for which also coincided with the feel of the decade mentioned below was the Monte Cristo -- basically a spin on the French Croque-Monsieur. The Monte Cristo was also elegantly called the French Sandwich :) A sinfully delicious egg-fried sandwich of ham, turkey and cheese dusted with powdered sugar -- oh did I gobble that up when Pappou made it for me.
The 60s brought on the most beloved and animated Chef Julia Child. It was perfect timing for Julia as Jackie Kennedy had just installed a French Chef in the White House. So Julia took us from frozen, processed food to the delightful culinary traditions of French Cooking. This includes some of her classics: Coq au Vin, Boeuf Bourguignon, and Duck a l'Orange. Take a quick look at Julia's down-to-earth, fun personality in one of her signature episodes on her cooking show, The French Chef
1975, Four Pizza Shops
By 1971 Pappou Jimmy sold the Diner and began opening pizza shops in what he called, "virgin territories," which he implied towns with a large enough population for high business volume yet no current pizza shops or many food offerings available. Specifically Pappou opened them with a business partner in the Southeastern Region of Massachusetts: Norton, Sharon, Foxborough and Mansfield. His sauce was delicious adding some traditional Greek herbs such as oregano, with just the right amount of sugar to combat the acidity. During this time he was teaching my mother, Val, everything he knew bringing her to work with him and creating another generation of a successful restaurateur who loved food and people.
Pappou Jimmy on far right showing how to cheese a pizza
Pappou's favorite pizza toppings: Onion and Pepper
Pizza History in USA
Pizza first came to America's shores at the turn of the century in the early 1900s with the great immigration wave, specifically 4 Million Italians. It was known as inexpensive peasant food and was first provided in places like New York City; Trenton, NJ; New Haven, CT and Boston. What all these cities had in common was the factory work available as to sell this ethnic food to poor immigrants.
But after WWII when American GIs returned from Italy they wanted the pizza they discovered overseas in their own hometowns. So the equipment was invented, such as the Hobart Mixer and pizza ovens. By 1960 pizzerias were sprouting up across the country, and now not just by Italians but Greeks also. Pizza became the perfect communal food that was inexpensive and was also great for families.
Thus pizza became an American Staple just like hotdogs and hamburgers.
1980s, Jimmy's Pub
By the 80s with the onslaught of Reagan, Trump and the excessiveness from the stock market came "Nouvelle Cuisine," with its lighter, more delicate dishes emphasizing presentation and high price tags. Of course Pappou Jimmy didn't go gourmet, he stuck with what he knew best and did it best. He expanded the Mansfield House of Pizza, building a separate restaurant with pub style food including his staple menu items and famous Fish and Chips. By the mid 80s he retired and soon after he returned to the kitchen doing what he loved at my mother's restaurants.
One of the best memories I have growing up in my family's restaurant is when my grandparents worked side-by-side on busy Friday nights on the frialator section, with my old Uncle Mike, and one would batter the fish, while the other dropped the fish and fries in the frialator, and the last person scooping coleslaw and packaging togo — all while yelling at each other saying even worst things than "let's go damn it!" Imagine Lucy and Ethel meets Archie Bunker -- priceless comedy for all the customers to see. Boy do I miss those days.
Yiayia Mary & Pappou Jimmy at their daughter's, Val's Restaurant
Later when my mother moved to a larger location and opened a full-blown restaurant serving more than 250 guests, believe it or not so came the three stooges on frialator section. When they eventually hung up their aprons, my yiayia went back to her roots taking orders on take-out, while my pappou let his personality shine welcoming guests in the dining room, and if he got the urge, even sitting down with them to have dinner together!
My grandparents bringing me to work with them in Mansfield.
I suppose we all have our ways of keeping our loved one's legacies alive. My mother followed in her father's footsteps and sees pictures of her parents hung up all over the restaurant honoring them. My brother moved into my grandparent's house renovating it and keeping the feel of yiayia and pappou alive right next door. Living in New York City not close enough to their home or pizza shops, I have them both in the one place they can never leave and always follow me along, my heart. There's not a day that goes by, my family doesn't think of pappou and yiayia, laugh, cry and remember his larger than life personality. May we all treasure the memories that keep us connected to our best selves.
Rest in Peace President Kennedy
Rest in Peace Pappou Jimmy
God Bless America... and our Patrida
I used a recipe from the Food Network, not realizing 24 egg yolks meant I was baking 3 pies, not just one. As I was already midway my brother said to me, "You know this isn't for one pie right?" I replied, "Um, no why, how many is it for?" Yet it truly was easy enough to make, and it comes out so good people will be flocking over to try it so better to have more than less.
Pour the yolk-milk mixture back into the saucepan with the rest of the milk mixture and cook, whisking frequently and until the mixture boils. Then reduce heat to medium-low and cook for another 7 minutes. Mixture should become thick like a custard.
This is the pie crust prior to cooking. Before attempting to roll it out, it is important to let it sit out at room temperature for 5-10 minutes (it will make it much easier to roll and stretch). 
