For those of you who have been looking for a great piecrust,
I'll share it in this column's recipes below.
By Cynthia Bowan
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Homework was always a dreaded subject in our house, especially when the children were young. One night, when our two oldest sons Doug and Mark were discussing algebra, one of them said "Pi R Square". My husband (Merrill) looked over his newspaper and said, "No, pie are round, cakes are square". Well the boys groaned, we all had a good laugh, and I started thinking about - pie.
There are times I really prefer a good piece of pie to a piece of cake. Polls show that I am not alone - most Americans prefer pie to cake. My Dad would rather have a birthday pie than a cake, and he made an awesome lemon meringue pie. He would make them for friends, shut-ins, and church gatherings. Dad would take one to his vet's office, dentist, the men at the fire station or the police station, neighbors - his pies were legendary in the small town where he lived. At his funeral, the room was packed with people who had come to say goodbye. I asked for a show of hands, for those who had ever been given one of his pies.
Virtually every person there raised his or her hand.
I had a dear friend, Mary Lou, transplanted up here in Yankee Land from Nashville. The first thing she would do when she went home was to head out to her favorite bakery and buy two things: a deep-dish pecan pie and a chess pie. (Makes me homesick just thinking about it as well.)
My Grandmother Bacon would pour a pile of flour on the kitchen counter, add things to it, work it around and come out with the most wonderful pie crust: golden flaky and delicious. You even ate the part around the top of each slice! I could never get exact directions, though. It was "a handful of this" and a "pinch of that" type recipe. Which of course, I have found to be very frustrating over the years, mainly because my own attempts at making a decent pie crust were less than best.
In fact, there was the time my hubby was trying to eat a slice of one of my pies...Merrill put his fork down and said "Oh, by the way. The President called for you today." Sensing a joke, I just smiled and said, oh yeah? And what did he want?
Merrill replied straight-faced, "The military and the CIA want your pie crust recipe. It's the only thing they have found that can bounce AND stop bullets."
Since he was being truthful, I had to agree. My piecrust was never as flaky and tender as those on TV commercials. But one happy and fortunate day, I got a taste of a pie with crust that was very close to what Grandma used to make. My friend Ann Scott, who lives now with her family back in Canada, made an awesome pie. Fortunately, Ann was a loving friend, the kind who shares recipes. So, for those of you who have been looking for a great piecrust, I'll share it in this column's recipes below. When I make crust from scratch, this is the only recipe I use. (And forget about the lard - remember, every time you cut a slice of pie, the calories fall out...)
But, let's go back to that night when Merrill made the joke and the shape of pies. I started wondering - why are pies shaped the way they are? A little research into this turned up some interesting information. In Colonial times, pies had more crust than filling - a sign of thrifty housewifery. When America was first settled, food supplies were sparse. So. Colonial women used round pans to literally cut corners and stretch the ingredients. For the same reasons, pies became shallower.
Pastry originated with the Greeks. The Romans sampled these delicacies and promptly took the recipes back home with them. Pumpkin and rhubarb, early staples and delights still, were Native American ingredients. Pies became important taste pleasures in pioneer life.
Once, when a sailing ship bringing molasses to Connecticut was delayed on the high seas, the Thanksgiving celebration was postponed until the homemakers could have molasses to make pumpkin pies.
And we think we have it hard now!
Well, square or round, mountain high or shallow, pies are great! I hope that in this coming holiday season, you will try at least one of these marvelous recipes.
May you Enjoy! them all, and as always, CYH - consider yourself hugged!!!
Ann Scott's Never Fail Pastry
1 lb. lard
5 c. flour
1 1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 T. vinegar
1 egg
water
Beat the egg and vinegar in a measuring cup; add enough water to measure 3/4 c. liquid. Cut the lard into the flour and baking powder; add liquid in small amounts. Work as regular pie pastry. This makes enough for 5 crusts, or 2 top and bottoms plus a single piecrust. May be frozen.
Basic Apple Pie
Pastry for 9" pie
2 1/2 cups sliced tart apples
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp butter (approx.)
Line a pie plate with pastry and fill evenly with sliced apples. Mix together sugar, lemon juice, salt and spies and sprinkle evenly over the apples. Dot the filling with butter; and then cover with a top crust. Bake at 450F, for the first 10 minutes, then reduce temperature to 375F and bake for 30 - 40 minutes or until apples are tender.
Variations: add 3/4 c. dried cranberries, fresh elderberries or golden raisins to the apple mixture.
Dutch Apple Pie
Prepare a bottom piecrust; fill to heaping with peeled, sliced apples (about 6-7). Combine the following:
1 stick softened margarine
1 c. sugar
1 c. flour
cinnamon to taste
Firmly pack the mixture over the apples, covering as completely as possible. Bake at 350F., approx. 1 hr. or until apples begin to bubble
Granny Smith Pie
9" baked pie shell
4 Granny Smith Apples
1 can (1 lb. 4 oz.) crushed pineapple
2 eggs
1 1/2 T. cornstarch
1/2 c. sugar, divided
1/8 tsp. salt
Preheat oven to 325F. Pare, core and cut apples into thin slices. Drain pineapple, measuring out and reserving 1 c. syrup. Separate the egg yolks and whites. Make a smooth paste of cornstarch and 1/4 c. of the syrup. Stir syrup into egg yolks.
Over low heat, cook remaining 3/4 c. syrup, 1/4 c. sugar, salt and apple slices for about 5 minutes. Drain, saving syrup, and set apples aside. Pour a thin stream of hot syrup into cornstarch mixture, stirring vigorously. Pour mixture back into saucepan. Cook, stirring constantly, until it boils. Remove from heat; add apple slices and drained pineapple. Cool slightly.
Beat egg whites until they hold a soft shape. Gradually add in remaining sugar and continue beating until whites hold a soft shape. Spoon apple filling into pie shell and cover with meringue. Bake 10-15 minutes, or until meringue is golden. Serve cold.
My Dad's Lemon Pie (Francis Bacon)
1 baked 9" pie shell
1 1/2 c. sugar
6 T. cornstarch
2 c. water
1/3 c. lemon juice
3 egg yolks (save whites for meringue)
1 1/2 tsp. lemon extract
2 tsp. vinegar
3 T. butter plus 4 T. butter or so, cut in small pieces
Meringue (recipe follows)
Mix sugar and cornstarch together in the top of a double boiler. Add the water. Combine egg yolks with lemon juice and beat until well mixed. Add to the sugar mixture; cook over boiling water until thick, about 25 minutes. This will do away with the starchy taste. Add the lemon extract, 3 T. butter and vinegar; stir thoroughly. Pour mixture into pie shell and let cool. Scatter remaining butter over top of pie. Cover with meringue and brown in oven.
Make a Meringue with the 3 egg whites, 2/3 c. sugar. Or use this one:
1 T. cornstarch
2 T. cold water
1/2 c. boiling water
3 egg whites
6 T. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
pinch of salt
Blend cornstarch and cold water; cook, stirring until clear and thickened. Let stand until COMPLETELY cold.
With electric mixer at high speed, beat egg whites until foamy. Gradually add sugar, and beat until stiff but not dry. Turn mixer to low speed; add salt and vanilla. Gradually beat in cold cornstarch mixture. Turn mixer to high; beat well. Spread meringue over cooled pie filling. Bake the pie at 350F, 10 minutes, or until the top is lightly browned.
Sweet Dreams Pie
(Don't know why this dessert has this name, unless it is because you might sleep well after having a piece...<G>)
1 vanilla wafer pie crust
2 c. whipping cream
1 c. confectioner's sugar
2 oz. whiskey
4 Heath Bar candy bars
If you do not buy a ready-made crust, make one and place in 9" pie pan.
Whip cream, adding sugar and whiskey. Pile this into the piecrust. Break candy bars and sprinkle over top. Chill well before serving; store leftovers in the refrigerator.
Brandied Pumpkin Ice Cream Pie
1 cup unsweetened canned pumpkin
1 1/2 c. graham cracker crumbs
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
2 egg whites, lightly beaten
1 T. water
vegetable cooking spray
1/3 c. packed brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ginger
2 T. brandy (optional)
4 c. vanilla ice cream, softened
Combine the first 4 ingredients in a bowl. Toss with a fork until moistened. Press into bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie plate, which has been coated, with cooking spray. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes; cool on a wire rack.
Combine pumpkin, sugar and spices in a bowl, stirring well. Add brandy. Fold in ice cream, but not completely. You should get a marbled effect. Spoon mixture into prepared, cooled crust. Cover loosely and freeze for 8 hrs. Place pie in refrigerator for 20-25 minutes before serving to soften. Makes 8 servings.
Note: you can also make this with low fat ice cream; you can make it with 2 c. vanilla and 2 c. coffee; you can also serve it with butterscotch or caramel sauce.
Cranberry Walnut Pie
Crust:
1 Cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup cake flour
1 T. Sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
6 T. chilled unsalted butter cut into 1/2
inch pieces
2 T. chilled vegetable shortening, cut
into pieces
3 T. (or more) ice water
Mix both flours, sugar and salt in processor. Add butter and shortening. Using on/off turns, process until mixture resembles very coarse meal. Add 3 T. water. Process until large moist clumps form, adding more water by teaspoonfuls if dough is dry. Gather into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic; chill until cold and firm, about 1 hour. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Let soften slightly before rolling.)
Filling:
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 large eggs
3/4 cup pure maple syrup
2 T. unsalted butter, melted
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. salt
2 cups walnuts, coarsely chopped
1 cup fresh cranberries, coarsely chopped
Whipped cream
Position rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 400F. Butter 9" diameter glass pie dish. Roll out dough on lightly floured surface to 13" round. Transfer crust to prepared dish. Trim the crust edge to 1/2-inch overhang if necessary. Fold overhang under, forming dough edge. Crimp edge decoratively. Freeze 15 minutes.
Beat sugar and eggs in large bowl to blend. Whisk in maple syrup, butter, vanilla and
salt. Stir in walnuts and cranberries. Pour filling into prepare crust. Bake pie 10 minutes. Reduce over temp. to 350F. Bake until filling is set, about 35 minutes longer. Transfer pie to rack; cool completely. (Can be prepared 8 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.)
Serve with whipped cream.
By Cynthia Bowan
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Ann Scott's Never Fail Pastry | Basic Apple Pie | Dutch Apple Pie | Granny Smith Pie
My Dad's Lemon Pie | Sweet Dreams Pie | Brandied Pumpkin Ice Cream Pie | Cranberry Walnut Pie
