Crack Pie, I Can’t Quit You #SundaySupper

This week’s #SundaySupper theme is “Favorite Chef Inspired Dishes” and is hosted by Tammi Demers Forcier at Momma’s Meals.

For the record, I am talking about dessert here. Christina Tosi is the inventor of this buttery, crunchety, rich pie and she is also part of the Momofuku family with David Chang as the godfather. You may have seen Chang hanging out with Anthony Bourdain on the show No Reservations where they indulge on fresh octopus at a Korean restaurant in Queens, NY. Or you may have seen him as a guest judge on Top Chef All Stars. He’s unapologetic and says it like it is. His food is bold, but holds some nuance. I have his cookbook, Momofuku and the recipes that I’ve made have all turned out pretty damn good. It is the first cookbook I’ve read cover to cover. He founded a quarterly a couple of years ago, Lucky Peach, and it’s full of entertaining stories, great writing, illustrations, and photos.  I truly admire his boldness and his continuous drive to challenge himself while being grounded. I’ve never met the guy in person, but I betcha bottom dollar that it would be fun to have a drink or two with him.

Tosi is a celebrity in her own right. She’s a James Beard award winner and is at the helm of the Milk Bar empire in New York. I have yet to visit one of these bakeries, but will have to live vicariously through others until I do. Then again, at $44 a pie, I think I can tolerate the homemade version for a little while longer.

I’m not sure what exactly motivated me to make this pie, but I saw the name “crack pie” being thrown around the blogosphere a couple of years ago. Crack pie? Really? Someone came up with the name crack pie? I think the name alone got me intrigued as I searched the interwebs for a recipe.

I don’t have much of a sweet tooth and do not have the patience of a baker, but I have to say that it’s a dangerous situation when I make this dessert. It’s one of those pies where I just have to sneak a bite or two each time I walk by. Don’t ask how large those bites are.

This pie is like pecan pie, but without the pecans which suits me just fine. It’s rich and sweet, but not syrupy candy sweet. The nutty crunchy crust certainly offsets the sweetness and is the perfect complement, both in texture and flavor, to the filling. And the recipe is so easy to follow that it is pretty much fail-safe even for a non-baker like me.

The last time I made this pie was for a lunch I had for friends. I actually had some leftovers, so the following morning I had a slice for breakfast along with a few slices of leftover pork belly prepared Momofuku-style. The combination was simply…magical. And my cup of coffee completed the trifecta.

I have made an attempt to include bacon IN the crust, but the recipe is still in development.

It is, however, difficult to improve on perfection. Here is the recipe to yield two pies and here is Rene Lynch’s accompanying love story.

See which celebrity chef inspires each one of the #SundaySupper crew!

Starters or Snacks :

Martin at ENOFYLZ Wine Blog – Oyster and Brie Soup and Wine Pairings for Celebrity Chef #SundaySupper

Linda at The Urban Mrs. – Inspired by Bobby Flay, Lobster Chowder with Roasted Corn Salsa

Erin from Dinners, Dishes and Desserts – Rachael Ray’s Cinnamon Popcorn

Cindy over at Cindy’s Recipes and Writings – Jamie Oliver’s Bread and Tomato Soup

Jeff at The Catholic Foodie – Drop Biscuits – Breakfast with Chef John Besh

Renee over at Kudos Kitchen By Renee – Giada De Laurentiis’ Garlic Toasts With Red Pepper Aioli

The Main Dish:

Sheila at Cooking Underwriter – Paula Deen’s  Chicken in a Crock Pot w/ Sauerkraut and Apples

Laura over at Small Wallet Big Appetite – Martin Yan’s Beef Chow Fun

Sarah over at Crispy Bits & Burnt Ends – Michael Symon’s Lola burger with crab tater tots

Susan at The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen – Ina Garten’s Baked Shrimp Scampi

Tammi at Momma’s Meals – Lee Drummond’s Sloppy Joe’s

Lane over at Supper for a Steal – Bobby Flay’s Rosemary Bricked Chicken

Tara from Noshing with the Nolands – Michael Symon’s Pork and Apple Scallopini

Shannon at Country Girl in the Village – Simple Red Sauce over Rigatoni. Inspired by,  Debi Mazar and Gabriele Corcos

Kris over at In the Kitchen with Audrey and Maurene – Rachael Ray’s Muffin Tin Meatloaf

Nicole from The Daily Dish Recipes – Paula Deen’s Slow Cooker Pulled Pickled Pork Sandwiches

Becca from It’s Yummilicious – Ina Garten’s Grown Up Bacon Mac & Cheese

Alice at  Hip Foodie Mom – Sunday Pot Roast with Risotto Cakes from Kelsey Nixon

Jen over at  Juanita’s Cocina – The Neely’s White Turkey Chili

Brianne from Cupcakes & Kale Chips – Crockpot Beef Pot Roast with Mushrooms inspired by Giada DeLaurentiis

Isabel at Family Foodie – Polenta with Garlicky Shrimp inspired by Chef Todd English

Wendy from The Weekend Gourmet – Shrimp Penne in Pesto Cream Sauce, From Emeril Lagasse

Bobbi over at Bobbi’s Kozy Kitchen – Cheesy Poblano Chicken

Patti at Comfy Cuisine – Tyler Florence’s Chicken Francese

Roxanne over at The Roxx Box – Jambalaya Pasta with Penne, Chicken, Shrimp and Andouille

Sue from Sue’s Nutrition Buzz – Rachael Ray’s Spicy Corn Chowdah Mac ‘n’ Cheese

Jamie at Mama Mommy Mom – Penne with Asparagus, Smoked Gouda and Prosciutto. Adapted from, Giada De Laurentiis’

Tora over at Tora’s Real Food – Pork and beans with Alton Brown’s pickled pork

Elisabeth over at The Hand That Rocks The Ladle – Emeril’s New Orleans Style Red Beans & Rice

Amazing Sides:

Megan from I Run For Wine – Curtis Stone’s Acorn Squash Roasted with Thyme

Sandi over at Midlife Road Trip –  Gabriele Corcos’s Gnocchi di Patate

Shelby at  Diabetic Foodie – Orange Pecan Black Rice, adapted from Ina Garten

Katie from She likes Ruffles, He likes Truffles – Chef Fabio Viviani’s Spinach and Artichoke Risotto

Sweet Endings:

Renee over at Magnolia Days – Brownie Tart

Conni at The Foodie Army Wife – Inspired by Ree Drummond – Scrumptious Apple Coffee Cake

Paula over at Vintage Kitchen Notes – Bill Granger´s Cherry Tart

Pam from The Meltaways – Savannah Sheet Cake

Katy over at Happy Baking Days – Mary Berry’s Treacle Tart

Jaime over at Mom’s Test Kitchen – Southern Tea Cakes

Amy over at Kimchi MOM – Crack Pie, I Can’t Quit You

Martin at ENOFYLZ Wine Blog