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Quick & EasyBy Beverly Barbour
Pop an unusual pie in the oven
Once upon a time, long, long ago in the olden days (actually about 25 years ago), I had the great pleasure of conducting five Japanese food writers on a tour of the United States so that they could see where much of their food is grown and meet some of the people who produce it. That was an interesting experience.
They, each and every one of them, fell madly in love with PIE. Japanese cuisine is not rich in desserts, so they loved almost anything sweet. Pie was the hands-down favorite. They were ordering pie for breakfast, lunch and dinner. They just couldn't get enough of it. They marveled at the skill of the American housewives who could produce such miracles of goodness.
I think of them every time I bake a pie and I must admit that I feel almost as strongly as they did. I don't think that I have ever met a pie I didn't like. Thanks to the creativity of America's wonderful home cooks, there is an infinite variety of pie to choose from. Each one seems to better than the last and all are vastly superior to those found in Europe and Russia, from whence our American pies evolved. May it ever be thus!
German Chocolate Pie
If you ever loved a German chocolate cake you will adore this recipe from Betty Jean Faust of Raleigh, N.C. Watch out though this is a big one, it makes two pies. Fortunately they can be frozen. The nuts rise to the top and the pie looks a little like pecan pie.
2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon + 1 1/2 teaspoons flour
3 eggs
1 can evaporated milk (not the large can)
1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup coconut
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
2 prepared pie shells (can be purchased crusts)
Preheat oven to 350 F. Line 2 pie pans with crusts. Mix together in a large bowl the sugar, cocoa, salt and flour. In another bowl beat eggs and combine with milk, melted butter and vanilla. Fold in sugar mixture, coconut and nuts. Pour into 2 crusts and bake about 45 minutes or until done. Makes 2 pies.
Cottage Cheese Pie
This ancient recipe came from Mrs. Betsy Jones of Towner, N.D. It was a big favorite at Johners Café in Towner. The pie can be topped with a meringue before baking or served with whipped cream or ice cream.
1 cup small curd cottage cheese
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 unbaked pie shell
Preheat oven to 350 F. In top of a double-boiler combine cottage cheese and sugar that has been combined with cinnamon. Beat eggs and then beat in milk. Stir egg mixture into cottage cheese mixture and pour into shell. Bake 45 minutes or until set. Makes 1 pie.
Vanilla Pie
This reader's favorite pie is very rich and quite tasty. It is similar in consistency and flavor to a shoo-fly pie or pecan pie, minus the pecans.
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon flour
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/4 cup dark corn syrup
1 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 unbaked pie shell
Topping:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) butter
Preheat oven to 375 F. In a heavy pan stir together sugar and flour, stir in egg. Add corn syrup and water; cook, stirring constantly, to boiling. Add vanilla and pour into pie shell. Topping: Cut ingredients together until crumbly. Sprinkle over pie and bake 40 minutes. Makes 1 pie.
M=Million Dollar Pie
This recipe came from Mrs. Ralph Fitterer of Glen Ullin, N.D. I'm not sure where the name came from but raisins, coconut and nutmeats used to be considered even more expensive ingredients than they are now. This is almost like candy or a cookie.
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon allspice
3 eggs, slightly beaten
1 cup raisins
1 cup coconut
1 cup nutmeats, chopped
1 unbaked pie shell
Preheat oven to 350 F. Mix together the sugar and spices. Stir in the eggs, and remaining ingredients. Pour into pie shall and bake 50 minutes or until set, being careful not to overbake. Serve with ice cream, whipped cream or plain. Makes 1 pie.
No time to make the pie crust? Frozen works for the busy baker!
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