Unmixed feelings

Not to overstate things, but when I first learned about egg pie in a New York Times article, it blew my mind. Apparently it is a New Zealand specialty. Most like a quiche encased fully in pie crust, instead of mixing the eggs with cream, they go in whole! When you slice the pie open you are confronted with a startling cross-section of egg whites and yolks. The very best part of the entire article was Melissa Clarke's bastardization of the classic recipe by adding Sriracha sauce to the filling.

The red and green Sriracha bottle is now beloved (by hipsters and foodies) everywhere. Compared to some fanatics I use it sparingly. My bottle has been around for so long that I'm not even sure where I got it from. I have a suspicion that it came with the fridge...

When it comes to eggs though, Sriracha is a necessity for me. Every single fried egg I have prepared in the past couple of years has been embellished with an artistic squirt of the sauce. It cuts the greasiness of the fry-up while distracting from that certain blandness of the egg with a tangy heat.

This is the long-winded way of saying that when I came across this crazy pie, I knew it was meant to be. This pie gets me, I thought.

There was no doubt that it would be fun to attempt this, simply for the novelty of the whole eggs, but would it be tasty?

It would, and it was. Fresh from the oven, the pie is warming and comforting. The crust is flaky and buttery without being oily. There's that heat from the Sriracha and scallions. Yes, the filling is just eggs, but in the funnest, most picnic-appropriate package ever. In fact, if anyone is planning a picnic in the warmer months - invite me and I'll bring one of these along. Your mind will be blown!

***

I made a few changes. With whole wheat toast in mind, I dumped a cup of whole flour into the dough. I think it adds an extra dimension to the buttery crust and makes the entire enterprise seem a little healthy.
You could customize this to no end. After a bit of research I realized that that's what is generally done with the pie. Add ham, add cheese, mix some of the eggs and leave some whole, use puff pastry. Go wild!

Spicy Egg Pie
Adapted from this New York Times article.

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, chilled and cubed

5 scallions, white and greens parts, thinly sliced
9 large eggs
Kosher salt, as needed
Cracked black pepper, as needed
6 tablespoons heavy cream
2 tablespoons Sriracha or other hot sauce
1 tablespoon ketchup

1. In a large bowl mix together the flours and salt until combined. Add butter and work into the flour with your hands until the pieces are the size of lima beans. Add ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, just until dough comes together (anywhere from 4 to 8 tablespoons). There should still be flecks of butter left in the dough.
Shape dough into two evenly sized discs and wrap with plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least one hour before baking. (Dough can be made up to 1 week ahead.)
2. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one disc to a 12-inch circle. (Leave the other disc in the fridge.) Transfer rolled dough to a 9-inch pie plate; trim and crimp edges. Chill for 30 minutes.
3. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Prick bottom of pie with a fork. Line with foil or parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil or paper and pie weights or beans. Bake until pale golden and dry to the touch, about 5 to 7 minutes more.
4. Increase oven temperature to 400 degrees. Evenly scatter half of the bacon and half of the scallions on bottom of pie. Carefully crack 8 eggs over mixture, distributing them evenly around pie with their yolks intact. Season eggs generously with salt and pepper. Whisk together 5 tablespoons heavy cream with Sriracha and ketchup. Use a teaspoon to dollop it on top of the eggs and then sprinkle with remaining bacon and scallion.
5. Lightly flour the counter. Roll out remaining disc of pie dough until 1/8-inch thick (it should be thinner than the previous dough round). Trim into 10-inch circle. Carefully place on top of the pie, pressing the edges into the side of the pie, if possible. There should be no overhang and the dough should fit almost perfectly. Use a fork to whisk together yolk from remaining egg and 1 tablespoon heavy cream. Brush top of pie with egg wash and cut 4 shallow slits in the middle of the top crust (don’t go deep, you don’t want to puncture the eggs). Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until pastry is golden brown. Let cool for at least 20 minutes for serving.