Rosie Makes A Squash Pie.

I love summer.
 I love being able to walk in my yard 
and pick fresh vegetables and prepare them.
 My first squash are coming in now 
and Rosie is coming up with lots of ways to use this versatile vegetable. 

Today, I'm making a squash pie.

Rosie is Semi-Ho'ing it today.
 She's using a Pillsbury frozen pie crust.
 If you're going to use a pie crust from the store, 
get the kind that rolls out, 
not the kind that's already in an aluminum pan. 
The ones in the pan will harden and crack in the freezer. 
Plus they're smaller than the Pillsbury rolled dough.
 Use the rolled dough.
 It's better. 

Instant pie crust.
 

Press the crust into a deep dish pan. 
Spread liberally with Dijon mustard.
 Feel free to use a coarse grained mustard. 
 

Grated Mozzarella cheese. 
You want enough grated cheese to cover three layers in the pie. 
That's enough above for one layer. 

Two young squash. I half-way peeled them.
 

My mise en place: 
2 squash, sliced
 1 small onion, sliced
 1 tomato, peeled, juiced, and sliced
 1 small green pepper from the garden
 (It looks like a jalapeno, but it's not. It's sweet.)
 grated Mozzarella (enough to cover three layers in the pie)
 3/4 cup skim milk 
3/4 cup whipping cream 
1/3 cup sour cream
 2 eggs
 grated cheddar cheese to top
 bunch of basil from the garden 
 

I nuked the milk and cream for about 2 minutes,
 then added the sour cream.
 I think having the milk mixture warm helps the pie cook a bit quicker.   

Whup the eggs. 

Slowly whisk in the milk/cream ... 

... and sour cream mixture. 

Everything is ready to assemble. 

First I layered Mozzarella cheese and squash. 

Add a layer of pepper, onion, tomato, freshly ground salt and pepper, and basil.

 

Add a layer of the Mozzarella.
 

Another layer of squash, tomato, onion, pepper, basil, and salt and pepper.  

Top with Mozzarella and cheddar.
 Wait. 
Rosie is forgetting something. 

Oh yeah, the custard. 

Ready for a 375 degree oven.
 I baked this for one hour. 

Let it sit for at least 10 minutes before cutting.
This is so the custard can set.

This is quite a tasty dish.
 I love the summer flavors here.
 And what says summer more than fresh tomatoes, squash, and basil? 
 Here's a Rosie Gardener's Tip: I germinate my squash seeds in cups on my deck, so I can walk out several times a day to water. This way, they germinate in just a few days. After the plants get their first true leaves, I transplant them in the garden. Then I start another set of squash seedlings on the deck. I'm eating off the first batch while I'm transplanting the second batch. Which reminds me - I need to start another set of seeds today. Try successive plantings and extend your season of summer's bounty.