Clam pie

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A clam pie prepared with curry spices Curry clam pie.jpg
A clam pie prepared with curry spices

A clam pie is a savory meat pie prepared using clams, especially quahogs as a primary ingredient, and it is a part of the cuisine of New England. It likely predated the English settlements in Southern New England, having been a feature of indigenous people's diet. It can also be prepared as a type of pizza pie. White clam pie is a pizza variety that originated in New Haven, Connecticut.

Contents

Overview

A clam pie is a savory pie prepared using clams as a main ingredient. Ingredients in addition to whole or chopped clams and pie crust can include potatoes, corn, onion, celery, garlic, clam juice, milk, eggs, hard-boiled eggs, butter, crushed crackers, seasonings, salt and pepper. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] Fresh or canned clams can be used to prepare the dish, and flour can be used to thicken the mixture. [3] The dish is typically cooked by baking. [1] [2] Clam pie is a part of the cuisine of New England. [7]

History

There is evidence that the Wampanoag tribe of present-day Southern New England and Cape Cod ate pies made from clams before encountering English Settlers in the early 1600s. [8] Pies had been common in medieval Europe and the English settlers to the Plymouth Colony cooked a variety of pies because it was a sure way to preserve foods, so it kept meats and seafood fresh through the long winters before refrigeration. [9]

Variations and famous versions

Pizza

A clam pizza pie Frank pepe clam pie.jpg
A clam pizza pie

Clam pie can be prepared as a pizza pie using clams as a topping. [10] Fresh or canned clams can be used, [10] and the clams can be minced [11] or whole.[ citation needed ]

White clam pie is a pizza variety in New Haven, Connecticut, and is typically prepared using pizza dough, clams, olive oil, grated Romano cheese, garlic and oregano. [10] The dish originated at the Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana restaurant in the Wooster Square neighborhood of New Haven, and was first prepared there sometime in the 1950s. [10] [12]

Bonac Clam Pie

In Eastern Long Island, New York, there is a well-known version of clam pie, called Bonac Clam Pie, after the Bonackers, or descendants of the first white settlers of the area who settled around Accabonac Harbor. For many generations, the inhabitants of this part of East Hampton were clammers and fishermen. The recipes used here are handed down from generation to generation and thus vary in ingredients across generations and family lines. [13]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cuisine of New England</span> Northeastern US food culture

New England cuisine is an American cuisine which originated in the New England region of the United States, and traces its roots to traditional English cuisine and Native American cuisine of the Abenaki, Narragansett, Niantic, Wabanaki, Wampanoag, and other native peoples. It also includes influences from Irish, French, Italian, and Portuguese cuisine, among others. It is characterized by extensive use of potatoes, beans, dairy products and seafood, resulting from its historical reliance on its seaports and fishing industry. Corn, the major crop historically grown by Native American tribes in New England, continues to be grown in all New England states, primarily as sweet corn although flint corn is grown as well. It is traditionally used in hasty puddings, cornbreads and corn chowders.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chowder</span> Category of soups

Chowder is a thick soup prepared with milk or cream, a roux, and seafood or vegetables. Oyster crackers or saltines may accompany chowders as a side item, and cracker pieces may be dropped atop the dish. New England clam chowder is typically made with chopped clams and diced potatoes, in a mixed cream and milk base, often with a small amount of butter. Other common chowders include seafood chowder, which often consists of fish, clams, and other types of shellfish; lamb or veal chowder made with barley; corn chowder, which uses corn instead of clams; various fish chowders; and potato chowder, which is often made with cheese. Fish, corn, and clam chowders are popular in North America, especially New England and Atlantic Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fruit salad</span> Dish consisting of fruits

Fruit salad is a dish consisting of various kinds of fruit, sometimes served in a liquid, either their juices or a syrup. In different forms, fruit salad can be served as an appetizer or a side as a salad. A fruit salad is sometimes known as a fruit cocktail, or fruit cup.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Corn chowder</span> Creamy corn soup from the United States

Corn chowder is a chowder soup prepared using corn as a primary ingredient. Basic corn chowder is commonly made of corn, onion, celery, milk or cream, and butter. Additional ingredients sometimes used include potatoes or squash, salt pork, fish, seafood and chicken. In the United States, recipes for corn chowder date to at least as early as 1884. Corn chowder is mass-produced as a canned food in the U.S.

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The history of pizza begins in antiquity, as various ancient cultures produced flatbreads with several toppings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clam dip</span> Dipping sauce and condiment

Clam dip is a dipping sauce and condiment prepared with clams, sour cream or cream cheese, and seasonings as primary ingredients. Various additional ingredients can be used. It is usually served chilled, although it is sometimes served hot or at room temperature. It is used as a dip for potato chips, crackers, bread, and crudités. Commercial varieties of clam dip are mass-produced by some companies and marketed to consumers in grocery stores and supermarkets.

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<i>Doenjang-jjigae</i> Korean dish of soybean paste stew

Doenjang-jjigae, referred to in English as soybean paste stew, is a Korean traditional jjigae, made from the primary ingredient of doenjang, and additional optional ingredients vegetables, seafood, and meat. It is one of the most iconic and popular traditional dishes in Korean cuisine, and is often eaten regularly regardless of occasion or time of day. Doenjang-jjigae was initially made with home-made doenjang; however, due to extensive industrialisation of soybean paste, households and restaurants nowadays use factory-made doenjang instead as their ingredient. From traditional to modern Korean cuisine, doenjang has become one of the most frequently used jang (sauce/paste). It is claimed as a national dish.

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Soup is a primarily liquid food, generally served warm or hot, that is made by combining ingredients of meat or vegetables with stock, milk, or water. Hot soups are additionally characterized by boiling solid ingredients in liquids in a pot until the flavors are extracted, forming a broth. Soups are similar to stews, and in some cases there may not be a clear distinction between the two; however, soups generally have more liquid (broth) than stews.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prawn soup</span>

Prawn soup, also referred to as shrimp soup, is a soup dish prepared using freshwater or saltwater prawns as a primary ingredient. Several varieties of the dish exist in various areas of the world, including Penang prawn mee in Malaysia, Peruvian chupe de camarones, Thai kaeng som kung and Mexican caldo de camarones. Prawn and shrimp soup can be prepared as a broth- or stock-based soup, as a cream-based soup, or as a chowder. In the United States, cream of shrimp soup is mass-produced and distributed canned or frozen.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chestnut pie</span>

Chestnut pie is a pie prepared with chestnuts as a primary ingredient. It is a part of the French cuisine and cuisine of Italy, where it has been documented as dating back to the 15th century. It is also a part of the cuisine of the Southern United States. Shelled whole or chopped chestnuts may be used, which may be boiled or roasted. A chestnut purée may also be used. It may be prepared as a savory or sweet pie.

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Pizza alle quattro stagioni is a variety of pizza in Italian cuisine that is prepared in four sections with diverse ingredients, with each section representing one season of the year. Artichokes represent spring, tomatoes or basil represent summer, mushrooms represent autumn and the ham, prosciutto or olives represent winter. It is a very popular pizza in Italy, and has been described as a "classic", "famous" and "renowned" Italian pizza. It is a variant of pizza capricciosa.

References

  1. 1 2 Phillips, D. (2005). Perfect Party Food: All the Recipes and Tips You'll Ever Need for Stress-Free Entertaining from the Diva of Do-Ahead . Harvard Common Press. p.  366. ISBN   978-1-55832-260-8.
  2. 1 2 Dojny, B. (2015). The New England Clam Shack Cookbook, 2nd Edition. Storey Publishing, LLC. p. 174. ISBN   978-1-61212-239-7.
  3. 1 2 Standish, M. (1997). Seafood: Down East Recipes. Down East Books. p. 12. ISBN   978-1-60893-425-6.
  4. Stavely, K.W.F.; Fitzgerald, K. (2011). Northern Hospitality: Cooking by the Book in New England. University of Massachusetts Press. p. 298. ISBN   978-1-55849-861-7.
  5. Shields, J.; Kirschbaum, J. (2015). Chesapeake Bay Cooking with John Shields. Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 91. ISBN   978-1-4214-1816-2.
  6. Zippe, Nancy Coale (February 3, 2015). "Clam pie is culinary history in a crust". The News Journal. Retrieved March 19, 2017.
  7. Frederick, J.G.; Joyce, J. (2012). Long Island Seafood Cookbook. Dover Publications. p. 281. ISBN   978-0-486-14448-1.
  8. Friss, Gwen (December 3, 2008). "Quahog pie - a native dish". Cape Cod Times. Barnstable, Massachusetts. Retrieved December 27, 2020.
  9. Unknown, Warren. "The History of Pies". Everything Pies. Retrieved December 27, 2020.
  10. 1 2 3 4 Barrett, L.; Abate, L.; Caporuscio, R.; Bello, M.; Bruno, S. (2014). Pizza, A Slice of American History. Voyageur Press. p. 58. ISBN   978-0-7603-4560-3.
  11. Sietsema, Robert (August 10, 2016). "Denino's Kills It in Greenwich Village With the City's Best Clam Pizza". Eater NY. Retrieved March 19, 2017.
  12. Waxman, J.; Colicchio, T. (2011). Italian, My Way: More Than 150 Simple and Inspired Recipes That Breathe New Life into Italian Classics. Simon & Schuster. p. 80. ISBN   978-1-4516-1108-3.
  13. "Bonac Clam Pie". Atlas Obscura. Retrieved December 27, 2020.