Coffee and Pie Chat June 2025

hey friends! I am so excited to share this reconnection, if you will, with Daenel over at Living Outside the Stacks. If you recall from my Field Notes earlier this week I mentioned that Dani and I are recreating the Coffee and Pie Chats that we used to do way back in 2019! I can’t believe it’s been that long! We’re keeping things pretty casual and starting off with a super simple, but super yummy pie-Melopita pie. Don’t forget to see Daenel’s results and show her some love!

What is Melopita pie? The recipe is from my favorite seasonal pie making book: First Prize Pies by Allison Kave. We used this book back in 2019 to come up with some recipe ideas and I don’t think we had a single pie disappointment! According to the author she stumbled upon Melopita pie when looking for a replacement for farmer’s cheese pie. She says this is the Greek version! It is made using ricotta and honey. And friends, the results are divine! The author of the First Prize Pies recommends using quality ingredients for this pie due to its simplicity. And if you know me, you will know I totally agree! Find a local apiary for your honey and if you are up for it, try making your own ricotta too! Recipe below.

I have to admit that it’s been a really long time since I made a pie. I had to look up my pie crust recipe! How did that happen. Thankfully I keep the recipe on my phone. I keep meaning to delete it because I know it by heart. Thank goodness I didn’t! And then, friends. I struggled to blind bake my pie. How embarrassing. I didn’t get the dough to the right consistency and I was in a hurry. So I rolled it out, blind baked it, and the aluminum foil stuck to the crust (due to the crust having too much butter. I didn’t work the fat enough to incorporate it into the dough). Thankfully I make a double crust recipe so I worked the second dough enough and it turned out fine. Whew!

SO yummy! I added some balsamic glaze to cut the honey and lemon and it was a nice addition! Just add a cup of coffee on the side and you have an official coffee and pie chat!

The Pie

Ingredients:
Classic Pie Crust (see this post for my recipe and instructions)

Filling:
3/4 pound (341 g) ricotta cheese
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup wildflower honey (or an extremely flavorful honey. Ask your local apiary for help!)
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
zest of 1 lemon
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
egg wash, milk wash, or egg/milk wash

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 425(F) degrees. Roll out dough into a circle about 11 inches in diameter.
2. Transfer dough it to a 9-inch pie plate, trim overhang to 1 inch, tuck the overhang under, and crimp edges
3. Blind-bake the crust until partially baked, set it aside to cool. Lower oven to 350(F) degrees.
To Make the Filling:
1. In a large bowl, whisk together the ricotta and eggs until fully blended. Whisk in honey, flour, lemon zest, cinnamon, and salt until fully incorporated.
2. Put the pie crust on a baking sheet, brush the edges with egg/milk wash (whichever version you are using).
3. Pour the filling into the crust, bake the pie for 30-40 minutes, or until the filling has just set and is still slightly wobbly in the center.
4. Remove the pie to cool completely on a wire rack, at least 1 hour.
5. If desired, dust the surface of the pie with cinnamon Pie can be refrigerated for up to 1 week, covered with plastic wrap.

Homemade Ricotta:

Ingredients:
1 quart whole milk (not ultra pasteurized)
1 pint heavy cream
1 teaspoon sea salt
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice or white wine vinegar

Instructions:
1. Over a deep, large bowl, set a sieve lined with fine-weave cheesecloth.
2. In a steel or enamel pot, mix together the milk, cream, and salt. Bring the mixture to a full boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally to prevent the milk from burning.
3. Turn off heat, stir in the lemon juice, and allow the mixture to stand for a couple of minutes until it has curdled (this just means you are separating the curds and whey).
4. After curds have formed, pour the mixture into the cheesecloth lined bowl and allow it to drain for 20-30 minutes, depending on the desired texture (the longer it drains the drier and more dense it becomes).
5. Use it right away or wrap in plastic and refrigerate for up to 5 days.

I would definitely use a smaller pie plate. I just grabbed one out of the cabinet and didn’t think about how little the filling would be in there. especially after the first crust debacle. LOL. But it tastes the same and I don’t mind the extra crust. I also added some balsamic glaze drizzle to my first slice to help offset any overly sweetness. It blended perfectly with the lemon and honey portion of the pie. I highly recommend!

I was doing some research online and you can make this a crustless dish as well. So noted for next time I have a crust disaster. Let us know if you make the pie and what you think! And stay tuned for next month’s pie!!

‘til next time
-k
xoxo