Celebrating National Pi Day with three great L.A. pies, plus 52 recipes

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Here’s a recipe for a classic pumpkin pie.

(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

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Rich custard filling is flavored with bourbon, chocolate and nuts in this recipe for bourbon chocolate pie. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)

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We loved the combination of chocolate with walnuts and rum in this very rich pie, perfect for chocolate lovers! Each slice is great served slightly warmed with a big glass of milk.

(Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

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Recipe: Sweet cherry pie

(Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)

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Warm apple crumble pie

(Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times)

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Stuff hand pies with a rich apple-and-nut filling scented with cinnamon. The pies make a great snack or dessert. Click here for the recipe. (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

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The classic, topped with meringue and baked in a graham cracker crust.
Recipe: Key lime pie
(Allen Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

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Cut into it and this award-winning apple pie is all about the fruit, generous hunks of gently baked apple, its pure, clean flavor enhanced by a sweet, spicy glaze. Click here for the recipe. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

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Maury Rubin’s pumpkin pie takes a brilliant approach to crust.
Recipe: Maury Rubin’s pumpkin pie
(Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

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Sweet with just the right amount of tang.
Recipe: Spring lime meringue pie
(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

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This is no ordinary sweet potato pie. Creamy mashed sweet potatoes are lightly spiced with nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla paste, and sweetened with a touch of honey, sugar and Muscavado brown sugar (a rich, dark, unfiltered brown sugar) for a wonderful medley of flavors. Not too sweet and not overly spiced. In a word: perfect. Click here for the recipe. (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

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Wild mushrooms, spinach and cheese combine in a pie so rich and filling you might never guess it’s vegetarian. Click here for the recipe. (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

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Firm, ripe apricots are tossed with rich cherries, the flavors complemented with a hint of vanilla. Read the recipe

(Spencer Weiner / Los Angeles Times)

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Just try to resist this tasty temptation that is Momofuku’s crack pie. Its filling is ooey-gooey and buttery. The crust is inspired by an oat cookie. Click here for the recipe. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

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Classic chicken pot pie is given a spicy twist with Spanish chorizo in this recipe. Click here for the recipe. (Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times)

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An almost mousse-like texture with a chocolate cookie crust. Recipe: Peanut butter cream pie

(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

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One bite of this fresh strawberry pie and your mouth is hit with the light harmony of strawberry flavor complemented by bright notes of orange and rum, and a cool hint of mint. Click here for the recipe. (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)

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A fresh taste of summer with three-berry pie.
Read the recipe

(Spencer Weiner/Los Angeles Times)

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What to do with all that leftover turkey? Make it the star of a savory pie.
Recipe: Turkey pot pie
(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

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Recipe: Nectarine berry pie with black pepper crust

(Spencer Weiner/Los Angeles Times)

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Classic banana cream topped with fluffy meringue.
Recipe: Banana cream pie
(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

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Recipe: Pumpkin pie with bacon and bourbon crust

(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

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Terrifically lemony filling and a cloud of ethereal meringue.
Recipe: ‘Million Dollar’ pie
(Bryan Chan / Los Angeles Times)

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Pears and blackberries are a perfect combination in this pie, lightly scented with a touch of cardamom and nutmeg. Click here for the recipe. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

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Recipe: Apple custard crumb pie

(Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

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It doesn’t get much better than a great pecan pie, and this recipe, from Rib City Grill in Rifle, Colo., is memorable and a great finish to any meal. Click here for the recipe. (Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times)

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Shaker lemon pie (Bryan Chan / Los Angeles Times)

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Hand pies go savory with a rich lamb filling, perfect for a snack or light meal. Click here for the recipe. (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

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Flaky pie crust envelops a rich and savory chicken pot pie, studded with leeks and fennel. Click here for the recipe. (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

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Classic pecan pie is miniaturized in this recipe. Click here for the recipe. (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

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Macerated in a wonderfully fragrant blend of orange juice, maple syrup and spices, dried cranberries add color and flavor to this apple pie. Click here for the recipe. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

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With a graham cracker crumb crust and dense, fudgy filling, this brownie pie is a cross between molten chocolate cake and gooey brownies. Click here for the recipe. (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

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A perfect vehicle for leftovers, this take on shepherd’s pie reinvents mashed potatoes, stuffing and other Thankgving leftovers as a fresh dish. Click here for the recipe. (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

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Love duck? This pot pie is for you. Roasted duck is shredded and tossed with colorful vegetables and kale to fill this pie, which is topped with a flaky, duck fat-based crust. Click here for the recipe. (Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times)

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Pumpkin pie lightens up in this smooth and rich chiffon recipe. Click here for the recipe. (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

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Beaten egg whites make for a light but intensely flavored filling in this pie, adapted from “Bill Neal’s Southern Cooking.” Top the unbaked pie with a simple pecan streusel crumble, which bakes to crunchy caramelized perfection. Click here for the recipe. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

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Filled with fruits and spices, this English mincemeat pie is a twist on tradition. To appreciate the full flavor of fruit and spice, serve the pie hot or at room temperature, topped with a scoop of your favorite ice cream. Click here for the recipe. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

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In this version of the classic pie, from a recipe developed by George Washington Carver, sweet potatoes are sliced and layered, rather than mashed. Click here for the recipe. (Robert Lachman / Los Angeles Times)

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This isn’t your standard lemon meringue pie. The crust is a sweet dough that also incorporates a hint of almond flour, the filling is a rich lemon curd and the billowy topping is an Italian meringue that makes you want to dive into it. Click here for the recipe. (Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times)

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Sugar-dusted flaky crust envelops a rich berry filling, the thick, sweet glaze cradling tender, slightly tart berries. Read the recipe.

(Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)

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This light, bright lemon pie is adapted from “American Regional Cooking” by Sheila Hibben. Click here for the recipe. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

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“The idea of using strawberries is that they are less expensive than boysenberries. Try not to eat the whole pie if anyone is watching.” Adapted from Patricia Poole of Kincaid Farms in Redlands. Read the recipe.

(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

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Shhh ... the secret to this great pie is the touch of orange.Click here for the recipe. (Lori Shepler / Los Angeles Times)

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You don’t have to share any dessert with this pie, each serving perfect for one. They also make great gifts. Click here for the recipe. (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

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Combine fresh sliced nectarines with a touch of almond extract and just enough sugar to lightly sweeten, then top it with a sweet almond crumble. Click here for the recipe. (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)

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This pie is a true classic, a flaky double-crust stuffed with a fragrant mound of sliced apples. Click here for the recipe. (Eric Boyd / Los Angeles Times)

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Not your regular pecan pie, this version incorporates olive oil in both the filling and crust for rich flavor and texture. Click here for the recipe. (Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times)

By Jenn HarrisColumnist

March 14, 2016 9:35 AM PT

Today happens to be National Pi Day, a day devoted to the mathematical constant 3.14159265359... Sure, you could celebrate with your best geometry quips. Or you could eat some actual pie. Or do both.

Here are three places serving great pie in Los Angeles. And if you really feel the need to make your own, we’ve got 52 recipes for pie (check out the photo gallery above). Yes, 52, which should keep you busy until the next Pi Day.

Key lime pie from Fishing with Dynamite

These pies from David LeFevre’s Manhattan Beach seafood restaurant are everything you want in a key lime pie, made with a buttery graham cracker crust, tart key lime custard filling and plenty of meringue. And the best part is that you can eat a whole one yourself. The restaurant serves its Key lime pies in small tart pans, making them the perfect dessert or snack for one. 1148 Manhattan Ave., Manhattan Beach, (310) 893-6299, www.eatfwd.com.

Any pie from Pie ‘n Burger

This Pasadena restaurant has been serving burgers and pies since 1963. It’s where you can sit with your elbows on a counter and dig into one of the best burgers in the city, and a slice of pie. The restaurant’s fruit pies change seasonally, but you can also find coconut, banana, lemon and chocolate. And don’t forget the butterscotch cream pie, the king of them all. 913 E. California Blvd., Pasadena, (626) 795-1123, www.pienburger.com.

Chocolate and rye pie from Odys + Penelope

Jonathan Gold is a pretty big fan of the chocolate pie at Odys + Penelope, Karen and Quinn Hatfield’s restaurant on La Brea Avenue. He was particularly taken by the crust, noting that “the Hubble telescope has studied mysteries less profound than the crunchy millimeter of graham cracker at the base of her buttermilk tart, the delicacy of her Pavlova and the crisp yet friable perfection of the rye crust on her chocolate pie.” In case, you know, you weren’t convinced. 127 S. La Brea Ave., Los Angeles, (323) 939-1033, www.odysandpenelope.com.

I’ve got a serious sweet tooth. Follow me on Twitter and Instagram @Jenn_Harris_

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