Recipe: Corn Chowder Pie
Description: I'm always looking for ways to eat pie for dinner. This savory pie in inspired by my summers growing up in Kansas, where the sweet corn is particularly sweet, and at least once a summer we cook it into a big pot of creamy chowder. A few tweaks make my favorite chowder into a sliceable pie, nestled deliciously into an easy to make oyster cracker crumb crust.
Ingredients: [{"text": "One 10-ounce package oyster crackers"}, {"text": "1 teaspoon garlic powder"}, {"text": "1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper"}, {"text": "1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted"}, {"text": "3 strips thick-cut bacon, chopped"}, {"text": "2 stalks celery, diced"}, {"text": "2 leeks, thinly sliced"}, {"text": "2 cloves garlic, minced"}, {"text": "2 tablespoons unsalted butter"}, {"text": "1/3 cup all-purpose flour"}, {"text": "2 cups chicken broth"}, {"text": "1 large russet potato, diced"}, {"text": "1/2 cup heavy cream"}, {"text": "2 cups corn kernels"}, {"text": "1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika"}, {"text": "Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper"}, {"text": "2 tablespoons minced chives"}, {"text": "2 tablespoons minced flat-leaf parsley"}]
Instructions: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
For the crust: Pulse the oyster crackers, garlic powder and pepper in the bowl of a food processor until the crumbs are finely ground. Add the melted butter and pulse until the mixture comes together – it should hold together when squeezed in your hands.
Press the crust into the base and sides of a 9-inch pie plate. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet and bake until the crust is lightly golden brown and smells toasty, 10 to 13 minutes.
While the crust bakes, make the filling: Heat a medium pot over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook until the fat is rendered and the bacon is fully crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove the bacon from the pot with a slotted spoon and place it on a paper towel-lined plate; set aside.
Add the celery and leeks and cook in the bacon fat until softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 minute more.
Melt the butter into the pan, then sprinkle the flour evenly over the base of the pan. Stir well, then cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Stir in the broth and bring to a simmer.
Add the potatoes, cover the pot and simmer until the potatoes are tender and the mixture thickens noticeably, 7 to 10 minutes. Stir in the cream, corn and paprika and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally while simmering, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Gently ladle the hot chowder into the crust. Transfer the pie back to the oven and bake until the filling becomes matte on top and the crust is deeply golden, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool 20 minutes before slicing and serving. Garnish with the reserved bacon, chives and parsley just before serving. 
