Potpourri Pies by Christine

[Dept of PMM Artists & things]

Potpourri Pies

Ingredients

• 4 cups unsifted flour
• 1 cup salt
• 1 1/2 cups water
• Disposable pie plate (I used the miniature ones from the grocery store)
• Pretty potpourri such as:

• Small pine cones
• Pieces of cinnamon stick broken up
• Allspice
• Whole nutmeg
• Dried apple pieces
• Ginger
• Rose hips
• Juniper berries
• Optional cookie cutter
• Spray varnish

Combine flour, salt and water in a mixing bowl. Turn out on a lightly floured board and knead until smooth, adding a little more water if it is too stiff to work. Because the dough tends to dry on your hands, it is helpful to have a dampened washcloth near your work area. Roll the flour out from center to edges to 1/8 inch thick on a foil covered area. Place in the bottom of the pie plate and trim the edges 3/4 inch beyond edge. Fill the pie with the potpourri allowing it to mound slightly. Roll remaining dough 1/8 inch thick cut strips of dough 1/2 to 3/4 inch wide with a knife or pastry wheel. Lay strips on filled pie at 3/4 inch intervals. Fold back alternate strips as you weave the cross strips. Trim lattice even with outer rim of pie plate; fold lower crust over strips. Seal; flute edge by pressing dough with forefinger against wedge made by finger and thumb of other hand. On my pie I further decorated it with a miniature cookie cutter gingerbread man. Bake at 300 until hard. I allowed my pie to cool slightly and removed it from the plate and then turned it over to bake the bottom a little longer to dry out the dough. Replace any potpourri that may have fallen out. Under baked projects don't keep as well so make sure to watch the timing. The finished piece is strong and will last indefinitely if sprayed with a protective coating such as a spray varnish.