Derby Walnut Pie
1/2 lb brown sugar
3 oz cake flour
4 oz margarine, melted
2 eggs
4 oz chocolate chips
4 oz walnuts
1/2 tbs vanilla extract
1 refrigerated pie shell
If you're using the folded pie dough (such as Pillsbury), put it on the counter to start to warm while preparing the rest of the ingredients. This will keep it from cracking while unfolding later.
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
Rough chop the walnuts, then toast them on the stove until they get a little color. I added a small amount of oil to the pan, tossed the walnuts around so they were covered and sprinkled sea salt on them. Adding the oil and salt is unnecessary if the walnuts were already salted.
Pour the melted butter into the combined dry ingredients and mix.
Add the beaten eggs, vanilla, chips and nuts to the bowl of dry ingredients. Mix well.
Place the pie dough into a glass pie dish. I also tried a traditional ceramic and the glass worked much better for texture. Pour the mixed ingredients into the pie shell and bake for 40-45 minutes.
If you're from anywhere near Louisville Kentucky, you know that May is the month for The Kentucky Derby. Since the area is also known for bourbon, we decided it was best to hit on both things Louisville (and surrounding areas) are known for. Our Derby Walnut Pie is paired with our only oaked wine, the dry Chamborcin, Hivernant Red. This wine was put into a recently emptied bourbon barrel and left to soak up the flavors for 9 months before being bottled. While this wine would pair very well with red meats, it also goes well with chocolatey sweetness. The walnuts and a hint of salt in the pie also bring out more of the natural flavors of the wine.
The name Hivernant is a French word meaning "winterer" or "winter tourist." It was used to describe the hunters and trappers that would go out into the wilderness during the cold winter months to hunt animals while they had their thicker winter coats, which would mean warmer clothes and blankets could be made with the pelts.