FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
THURSDAY, OCT. 22, 2009

CONTACT:

Brian Long, director N.C. State Fair Press Office (919) 839-4662

 

 

Youngsville woman takes third straight cooking title
by winning N.C. Pecan Association Pecan Recipe Contest

RALEIGH — Amanda Boury of Youngsville won her third straight cooking contest Thursday at the N.C. State Fair. Her recipe for Pecan Pesto Pizzette with Goat Cheese won the N.C. Pecan Association Pecan Recipe Contest.

Boury won $100 and a blue ribbon. Earlier this week, she won recipe contests for eggs and pork.

Anne Scott of Raleigh earned second and $75 with Upside Down Pecan and Apple Tart, and Elise Easterling of Chapel Hill took third and $50 for Chocolate Praline Pumpkin Tart.  Sharon Waidler of Raleigh received an honorable mention and $25 for Pecan Plum Cake.

Each dish had to be prepared with at least one cup of pecans grown in North Carolina if available. Recipes were judged on taste appeal, appearance, creative use of pecans and ease of preparation.

Following is the winning recipe:

Pecan Pesto Pizzette with Goat Cheese

• 1 8-ounce container of fresh pesto
• 1 cup chopped N.C. pecans
• 1 8-ounce package of goat cheese
• ¾ cup chopped roasted red peppers
• 1 cup chopped arugula
• 3 flatbread (or pitas without the pockets)
• Balsamic vinegar

On a flatbread, spread about 1 tablespoon of pesto. Crumble 1/3 of the goat cheese over the pesto and add about 1/3 cup pecans and ¼ cup peppers on each. Bake at 350 degrees for about 12 minutes. Top with 1/3 cup arugula, drizzle with balsamic vinegar and cut into wedges to serve. Makes three pizzettes.

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Second Place: Upside Down Pecan and Apple Pie
Anne Scott

Pastry Crust

• 2 ½ cups Unbleached All Purpose Flour
• 1 tsp.        Salt
• 1 cup       Butter
• ¼- ½ cup ice water

Filling

• 2 Tbsp.   Soft Butter
• 1/3 cup    Brown Sugar, packed
• 2 ½ cups Pecan halves
• 6 cups     sliced apples
• ¾ cup      Sugar
• 2 Tbsp.   Flour
• 1 tsp.       Cinnamon
• ½ tsp.      Nutmeg
• Dash       Ground Cloves

Prepare pastry for two-crust pie: Whisk together flour and salt in large bowl. Cut in half of the butter, combining thoroughly. Cut in the remaining butter leaving some larger pea-size chunks in the mixture. Stir in water slowly while mixing with a fork. Once combined, divide into two disks and refrigerate in plastic wrap for 30-60 minutes. This pastry may be prepared in advance if necessary: roll out and place parchment paper between the layers. Roll crusts back on the rolling pin and wrap in plastic bag to refrigerate. Bring to room temperature while preparing filling.
Filling: Line a deep-dish pie pan with aluminum foil and butter the foil. Press pecan halves, round side down into the butter. Gently pat brown sugar on top.
Ease one crust into pan on top of sugared pecans. Combine remaining ingredients and pile mixture into crust. Cover with second crust, seal and flute edges. Prick crust to allow steam to escape.
Bake 10 minutes at 450 then 35-40 minutes at 375. Remove from oven, let stand at least 5 minutes then invert onto serving dish.

Third Place: Chocolate Praline Pumpkin Tart
Elise Easterling

Crust

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• ½ cup dark brown sugar
• 2 cups chopped pecans
• 1-cup butter, melted

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and press into a 12-inch tart pan (greased).  Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown.

Filling

• 3 – 8 oz. packages cream cheese, softened
• 2 eggs
• 1 – 14oz. can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 – 15 oz. can pumpkin puree
• 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

Beat cream cheese and eggs together until smooth.  Add rest of ingredients, beat until smooth.  Pour into tart crust.  Bake tart at 350 degrees for 45 minutes, or until filling is just set.  Remove from oven and let cool completely.  Chill 3-4 hours.

Chocolate topping

• 1-cup heavy cream
• 12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 2 Tbsp. light corn syrup

Heat heavy cream in a heavy saucepan; remove fro heat just as cream starts to boil.  Stir in chips and syrup.  Whisk until smooth.  Let mixture cool completely.  When cool, beat mixture with an electric mixer until consistency is easy to spread.  Spread chocolate mixture over pumpkin filling, you may have extra.  Let chill for one hour.

Garnish (optional)

• 1-cup heavy cream
• ½ tsp. cinnamon
• 2 Tbsp. confectioner’s sugar

Beat all ingredients together with an electric beater until stiff peaks form.  Pipe cream along rim of tart.

Praline (optional)

• ½ cup pecans
• 1 ½ Tbsp. butter
• ½ tsp. vanilla
• 2 Tbsp. heavy cream

Stir together sugar and butter over medium heat until butter melts.  Whisk in vanilla and cream, let boil for one minute.  Remove from heat, stir in pecans to coat in sugar mixture.  Spoon blobs of pecan mixture onto wax paper, let cool.  When cool, crush pralines to bite size pieces and sprinkle over tart.  Can make pralines several days ahead of time, store in airtight container.  Serves: 16-18

Honorable Mention: Pecan Plum cake
Sharon Waidler 

• 2 c. self-rising flour
• 2 c. sugar
• 1 c. oil
• 3 eggs
• 2 small jars plum or apple plum baby food
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 ½ c. chopped pecans

Mix all together and bake in greased bundt cake at 350 45-50 minutes