Q1: What is a "slab pie" and why is it so great for the holidays?

A "slab pie," like these bars, is simply a pie that is baked in a large, rectangular, rimmed baking sheet or a 9x13-inch pan instead of a traditional round pie pan. It is fantastic for the holidays because a single slab pie can serve twice as many people as a standard 9-inch pie, and it is much, much easier to cut into neat, uniform squares for easy serving to a crowd.

Q2: How do the four different fillings not run into each other?

It's a bit of baking magic! The fillings are all quite thick and have different consistencies. When you carefully spread them into their designated quadrants, they will mostly stay put. As they bake, the egg-based custards (pumpkin and pecan) will set, and the fruit fillings will thicken, which helps to keep the layers relatively distinct. There may be a little bit of delicious mingling at the seams, which is part of the fun!

Q3: Is it absolutely necessary to pre-bake the bottom crust? Yes, it is the most important step in this recipe!

Because you are layering the crust between very wet fillings, you must pre-bake it until it is golden brown and crisp. If you were to use a raw dough for the bottom and middle layers, it would never cook through and you would end up with a very unpleasant, soggy, and gummy mess.

Q4: How do I know when a pie with four different fillings is truly done baking?

The best visual cues are that the top crusts (on the apple and cherry sections) are a deep golden brown and look crisp , and the two open-faced custard pies (pumpkin and pecan) are set . This means that when you gently nudge the pan, the centers of the pumpkin and pecan sections should have only a very slight jiggle, not a wide, liquid wobble.

Q5: Can I make this with a homemade pie crust instead of the refrigerated kind?

Yes, you absolutely can! If you have a favorite, from-scratch pie crust recipe that makes a standard double-crust pie, you will need to make two full batches of that recipe to get the four crusts needed for this epic dish.

The Ultimate All-in-One Thanksgiving Pie Bars (Four Flavors!)

An ambitious and crowd-pleasing dessert, this ‘Four-Flavor Sheet Pan Pie’ combines four classic Thanksgiving pies into one epic creation. Built on a large, single bottom crust made from store-bought pie dough, the pan is visually divided into four quadrants. Each quadrant is then filled with a different from-scratch filling: a classic apple pie filling, a tangy sour cherry pie filling, a creamy pumpkin pie custard, and a rich pecan pie filling. The apple and cherry sections are topped with pie crust, while the pumpkin and pecan sections are left open-faced.

Author: Evelyn
Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes (includes chilling)
Cook Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Total Time: 5 hours (includes cooling time)
Yield: 12-16 servings
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American
Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

For the Crusts:
Four 14.1-ounce boxes refrigerated rolled pie crusts (4 crusts total)
All-purpose flour, for dusting
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup turbinado sugar
For the Apple Pie Filling:
2 pounds mixed apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Kosher salt
For the Sour Cherry Pie Filling:
2 cups drained jarred sour cherries, plus 3/4 cup juice
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup granulated sugar
For the Pumpkin Pie Filling:
1 1/3 cups canned pure pumpkin puree
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 large egg
For the Pecan Pie Filling:
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
Kosher salt
3/4 cup roasted pecan halves

Instructions

Prepare the Crusts: Preheat the oven to 350°F. On a floured surface, unroll and stack 3 of the pie crusts. Roll them out into a 15×21-inch rectangle. Press this into an 18×13-inch rimmed baking sheet to form the bottom crust, coming up the sides. Chill for at least 30 minutes.
Roll the remaining crust into a 14×9-inch rectangle. Cut it in half to get two 7×9-inch pieces. Cut one of these pieces into 1-inch diagonal strips for a lattice. Chill both pieces.
Prepare the Fillings: In a large skillet, cook the apple filling ingredients until the apples are tender and the sauce has thickened. Let cool completely.
In a small saucepan, whisk cherry juice and cornstarch, then add remaining juice and sugar. Bring to a boil, whisking until thick. Pour over the cherries and let cool completely.
In a medium bowl, whisk together all the pumpkin pie filling ingredients.
In another medium bowl, whisk together all the pecan pie filling ingredients.
Assemble the Pie: Remove the chilled bottom crust from the refrigerator. Prick the bottom with a fork.
Visually divide the pan into four 7×9-inch quadrants. Spread the apple filling in the upper left, the pumpkin filling in the lower left, the cherry filling in the lower right, and the pecan filling in the upper right.
Cover the apple pie quadrant with the solid rectangle of dough. Weave the dough strips into a lattice over the cherry pie quadrant. Crimp all the edges of the pie.
Brush all the top crusts with the beaten egg and sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Cut slits in the solid apple pie crust.
Bake: Bake for 55 minutes to 1 hour and 5 minutes, until all fillings are set and the crust is golden brown.
Let the pie cool completely on a wire rack for at least 2-3 hours before slicing and serving.

Notes

This recipe is a large undertaking, perfect for a big holiday gathering. Preparing all the fillings while the dough chills is an efficient workflow.
Stacking three store-bought pie crusts creates a sturdy base that can hold the weight and moisture of the four different fillings.
It is crucial to let the finished pie cool completely for several hours to allow the custard-based pumpkin and pecan fillings to set properly for clean slicing.
The article mentions a ‘Cook’s Note’ for the crumb topping, but there is no crumb topping in the recipe text.

Find it online: https://cookupjoy.com/thanksgiving-pie-bars-2/