Summer Vegetable Pie

This pie came about when my friend Nancy Nicholas shared some of the produce from her Long Island garden with me. I had a couple of several kinds of vegetables, and not having enough to make a full dish from just one type, I combined them. You can add and subtract at will as long as you keep to the same weight of vegetables so you’ll have the right amount of filling for the pie. This pie is excellent on its own, but it’s also a handy side dish for simple grilled meats or fish.

Makes one 9-inch pie, about 8 servings

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One 9-inch piecrust made from Flaky Buttery Dough (see below), plus dough for an open-lattice top crust

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 medium white onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice, about 3/4 cup

1 pound young, tender zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch dice

1 pound young, tender yellow summer squash, cut into 1/2-inch dice

Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Kernels cut from 2 large ears sweet corn

1 cup half-and-half or light cream

1/3 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

1/4 cup finely cut fresh chives

1/2 teaspoon fresh marjoram leaves, finely chopped, or 1/4 teaspoon dried

3 large eggs

1. Melt the butter in a Dutch oven that has a cover and stir in the onion. Cook over medium heat until the onion starts to sizzle. Then, stirring often, cook until the onion starts to color a little, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the zucchini and yellow squash, let them start to sizzle, then lower the heat, season the mixture lightly with salt and pepper, and stir in the corn kernels. Cover and cook until the vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally, 10 to 15 minutes.

2. Remove the cover, increase the heat, and let any accumulated water evaporate. Stir in the half-and-half and cheese. Cook, stirring often, until the mixture comes to a boil.

3. Taste for seasoning (the filling should be slightly overseasoned before the final step of adding the eggs) and stir in the herbs. Cool the filling to room temperature.

4. Set a rack at the lowest level in the oven and preheat to 400°F.

5. Whisk the eggs in a medium bowl and gently fold them into the cooled filling. Pour the filling into the piecrust and set the lattice top on the pie.

6. Bake the pie for 15 minutes, then lower the temperature to 350°F. Continue baking until the crust is deep golden and the filling is set, about 30 minutes longer.

7. Cool the pie on a rack and serve it at room temperature.

FLAKY BUTTERY DOUGH

Makes enough for 2 single-crusted pies or 1 double-crusted pie

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (spoon into dry-measure cup and level)

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

8 ounces/2 sticks unsalted butter, chilled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

2 large eggs

1. Combine the flour, salt, and baking powder in the bowl of a food processor; pulse several times at 1-second intervals to mix.

2. Add the butter pieces and pulse again 3 or 4 times. Use a metal spatula to scrape the side of the bowl and mix the butter pieces throughout the flour.

3. Pulse again 3 or 4 times.

4. Using a fork, beat the eggs to break them up, and add them to the bowl. Pulse again until the dough almost forms a ball; avoid pulsing too much, or the pieces of butter needed to make the dough flaky will become too small.

5. Invert the dough onto a lightly floured work surface, carefully remove the blade, and quickly press the dough together.

6. Divide the dough into 2 pieces, form them into thick disks, and wrap each one in plastic. Chill the dough for a couple of hours before rolling.

PLANNING AHEAD: This dough keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.