KCC May Challenge: Pansy Macapuno Pie

Macapuno Pie --- Photos by Trevor Joyce 

It has been forever since I posted something in my blog and just insanely crazy busy still. I can’t really wait till things get back to normal. Normal means at least all my clothes are out of the suitcases and boxes… well at least just a couple more weeks. Well having said that, busy or not, I need to have a post for this month’s Kulinarya Cooking Challenge. Thanks to Sefie and Connie who came up with this month’s theme: Flowers

Oh-oh… very challenging! I have been searching for different Filipino dishes with flowers but I was stumped. Then the other day, my husband said that we have a lot of pansies in our garden. He also said that they were edible and should use it in my salads and garnish! So there’s my answer— Pansy! But with what??? I just don’t want to make a salad dish since it seems not so Filipino at a glance 

Pansy has a very very mild mint flavor and has so many different colors. Really good for garnish in desserts and in cocktails. So here’s what I came up…

Ingredients: (By the way this a “Macapuno Pie in Hurry” since I just have to write this post and make this pie in between my food prep for my next event)

• 12 oz. jar macapuno balls (sweetened)
• 12 oz. jar macapuno strings (sweetened)
• 1 can evaporated milk
• 2 egg yolks
• 2 tsp cornstarch
• pansies
• 2 store bought graham cracker crust

Procedure:

• In a non-stick pan, combine the macapuno balls, macapuno strings and evaporated milk. Simmer.
• Add egg yolks and blend. Simmer for few minutes.
• Dissolve cornstarch into the mixture and stir constantly until mixture is thick.
• Remove from fire and pour into the crust.
• Top with pansy. Sprinkle granulated sugar on the flower.
• Bake pie at 350F until golden brown.