Mesh-bottom pie pan lets off some steam

There is no shortage of options when it comes to determining the best way to bake any number of oven-based recipes. Take, for example, the noble pizza: there are pizza stones, pizza bricks, grilled pizzas, and even those perforated pizza pans, which are said to distribute heat more evenly. The mesh-bottom pie pan from BrylaneHome takes a cue from these pizza-cooking options.

The Crispy Crust Pie Pan promises to end soggy bottom pies by incorporating a mesh screen as the base of the pie pan. If it works anything like the similar perforated-pizza sheet, it should keep pies from getting soggy. Beyond the ability to simply distribute heat evenly, the real benefit is that is provides steam a place to escape.

When you pull any pastry-like comestible out of the oven, steam will find a way to escape from the confines of its doughy prison--and usually, it's right through that crispy crust you've been salivating over. Really, any food has this issue, but it is most notable in flour-based recipes (soggy pie is so much more noticeable than say, lasagna). To avoid steam condensing back into your recipe either remove the food item from the cooking vessel, or use one that vents steam out.

While I cannot attest to the efficacy of the Crispy Crust Pie Pan, I understand how it could work. As long as it cooks evenly along the bottom, we might have a winner here. Steam is leaving that pie one way or the other. Might as well give it a place to go to.

(BrylaneHome via Cooking Gadgets)