Every November, we host a Friendsgiving, where we congregate what feels like everyone we know in the city and attempt to cram them all inside our house at one long table. It’s usually a boisterous midmorning brunch situation, and everyone contributes a fall-inspired dish or beverage. There are always too many provisions and never enough waistband on our stretchy pants.
One year, there was a harvest Bloody Mary bar that took up our entire bookshelf and four different kinds of macaroni and cheese. This pie was an innovation of repurposed leftover scoops of pasta, and it has since become a Friendsgiving fixture.
Call your chums over to annihilate this with you, or shovel it down with your bare hands, crumbs flying and no one around to see. Be free. It’s easy as A, B . . . C.
2 disks Whole Wheat Cheddar Chive Pie Dough
BUTTERNUT BACON MAC AND CHEESE FILLING
1 pound (454 grams) butternut squash, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
½ pound (227 grams) thick-cut bacon, chopped
8 ounces (114 grams) uncooked elbow macaroni noodles
1 tablespoon (14 grams) unsalted butter
1 tablespoon (9 grams) flour
1 cup (237 milliliters) milk
4 ounces (57 grams) sharp Cheddar cheese, grated (about 1 cup)
MACARONI CUTOUT DESIGN NEEDS
Parchment paper
Ruler
1-inch letter C cutter
Paring knife
1. On a floured surface, roll 1 dough disk into a 14-inch circle. Roll the dough onto the rolling pin and unfurl it onto a sheet of parchment paper. Using a ruler as a straight line guide, punch out a column of C’s, spaced 1 inch apart, with a letter cutter down the center of the dough. Punch out a row of inverted C’s, interlocking the shapes with the first row. Continue until the entire surface of the pie crust has been covered with approximately 9 vertical rows of interlocking letters.
2. Slide a flat baking sheet under the parchment and place the perforated pie top in the freezer until frozen solid, about 20 minutes.
3. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil.
4. Toss the butternut squash cubes with the oil, salt, and pepper and arrange them in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Roast until tender, about 35 minutes. Puree the roasted butternut squash in a food processor until smooth.
5. While the squash is in the oven, cook the bacon in a skillet until crisp and drain on a paper towel–lined plate. Set aside.
6. Cook the macaroni in a large pot of salted water for 2 minutes less than directed on the package. The macaroni should be just short of al dente. Drain and set aside.
7. In the same pot, melt the butter over medium heat and sprinkle in the flour, whisking constantly until the roux has darkened to a deep brown. Slowly drizzle in the milk while continuing to whisk and cook to warm through. Add the cheese and whisk until melted and smooth. Stir in the squash puree, then the cooked pasta and bacon. Season with salt and pepper and remove from the heat.
8. Turn the oven up to 400°F.
9. Roll the second dough disk into a 14-inch circle. Roll the dough onto the rolling pin and unfurl it over a 9-inch pie pan. Taking the edges of the dough, gently ease the dough into the pan, nestling it into the inner elbows of the pie pan. Scoop the cooked filling into the pie shell, smoothing the surface. Use a small pastry brush to lightly dab water around the edge of the dough.
10. Remove the frozen pie top from the freezer and lay it on the surface of the filled pie. Let it sit for a few minutes to thaw slightly and settle. Seal and crimp the edges or trim with a paring knife to create a sharp edge.
11. Place the entire pie on a rimmed baking sheet, brush with egg wash, and bake until the crust is golden and crispy, 45 to 55 minutes.
SUGGESTED SUBSTITUTIONS
Dough alternatives: Basic, Carrot, Spinach
NOTES
Use the pointy end of a chopstick to gently nudge the dough out of the letter cutter onto a sheet of parchment. These can be baked off as crackers.
While this pie is best when baked right away, it can be frozen up to 1 month before baking. Seal well before freezing.