Carne asada and cinnamon-dusted pineapple have always been staple items at every family barbecue. I’ve continued to preach the gospel of grilled pineapple into adulthood, and I’m here to keep spreading the good news. It. Will. Change. Your. Life!
Char the pineapple on the grill for maximum smoky caramelization (griddle inside only if you must), then crown it with a tousle of cherubic curls for a fast track to seventh heaven.
2 disks Basic Pie Dough
GRILLED CINNAMON PINEAPPLE FILLING
½ cup (99 grams) granulated sugar
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 large (4- to 5-pound/1.8- to 2.3-kilogram) ripe pineapples
¼ cup (50 grams) packed light brown sugar
¼ cup (28 grams) tapioca starch
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ tablespoon fresh lime juice
EGG WASH AND SUGAR SPRINKLE
Demerara sugar (optional)
SQUIGGLE DESIGN NEEDS
Parchment paper
Ruler
Rolling pastry wheel
Paring knife
1. Whisk the granulated sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl. Set aside.
2. Heat a barbecue grill to medium-high. (Alternatively, you can use a cast-iron grill pan or skillet on a stovetop, but turn on your fan!)
3. While the grill heats, prepare the pineapples: Trim off the crown and bottom of a pineapple and cut away the spiky skin. With the pineapple standing upright, slice the fruit into quarters, and cut out the core. Cut each pineapple quarter into 3 long, triangular batons and lay the batons on a rimmed baking sheet. Repeat to cut the other pineapple. Sprinkle all sides of the pineapple with the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
4. Grill the pineapple batons on all sides to char the fruit and caramelize the sugar, 2 to 3 minutes per side. (You maaaay want to add an extra pineapple in case you feel compelled to scarf down handfuls of fruit while standing outside, sweet juices running down your arm and all.) Let the pineapple cool to room temperature.
5. Chop the grilled pineapple into 1-inch chunks and toss in a large bowl with the brown sugar, tapioca starch, salt, and lime juice. Set aside.
6. On a floured surface, roll out one dough disk into an 11 × 15-inch rectangle. Roll the dough onto the rolling pin and unfurl it onto a sheet of parchment paper. Using a ruler as a straight edge, cut the rectangle widthwise into ¼-inch strips with a rolling pastry wheel.
7. Slide a flat baking sheet under the parchment and place the dough in the refrigerator to keep cold while proceeding with the design process.
8. Roll out another dough disk into a 13-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. Trim the excess dough with kitchen shears to create a 1-inch overhang. Fold the overhang back under, creating an elevated edge.
9. Pour the pineapple filling into the pie shell, pressing lightly with a spatula to create a somewhat flat surface.
10. Remove the dough strips from the refrigerator. Stand one strip of dough on its side, and gently scrunch into a squiggly pattern. Slide a paring knife under the squiggled dough and carefully transfer it to the center of the pie. Arrange the next strip of dough in a different squiggle pattern, scoop with a paring knife, and place on the surface of the pie adjacent to the first squiggle.
11. Continue arranging strips of dough in varying squiggle patterns and fitting them together on the pie until the entire surface has been covered. Strips can also be trimmed to fit in the remaining spaces as the design approaches completion.
12. Run a paring knife around the edge of the pie to trim any excess dough. Make sure no squiggly sections are hanging over the edge of the pie, as they will fall off and burn during baking.
13. Chill the entire pie in the freezer while the oven comes to temperature. The pie can be frozen until solid before baking or simply chilled through, about 20 minutes.
14. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment.
15. When the oven has come to temperature, remove the pie from the freezer and place it on the prepared baking sheet. Brush with the egg wash. Sprinkle with demerara sugar, if desired.
16. Bake the pie for 25 minutes, then rotate the pie 180 degrees and lower the oven temperature to 400°F. If the edges are already brown, cover with a shield. Continue baking until the filling is bubbling rapidly in the center, checking every 30 minutes to rotate the pie and adjust the shield, 60 to 90 minutes total.
17. Cool the pie completely on a rack before slicing and serving.
SUGGESTED SUBSTITUTIONS
Dough alternatives: Beet, Blueberry, Butterfly Pea Flower, Cornflower, Dragon Fruit