Tis the Season for Pie

Whether we are on the road or hunkered down in our homes, this is the season for pies, beginning with Thanksgiving, and continuing through Christmas. There’s even an old myth about eating pie daily during the Christmas season to ensure good luck in the year ahead.

Almost every country in the world for centuries has taken pride in its pies—whatever the filling and regardless of shape. There’s the Moroccan “vastila” with tissue-thin layers, sometimes triangular, filled with pigeon meat and aromatic spices. In France, there is “pate encroute,” a rectangular box of pastry filled with a mixture of ground meats with herb seasonings. The Italian pizza and the English beef and kidney pie are some others. The Romans made pies, or at least used pastes of flour and water to seal the filling. Meat pies and fish pies preceded fruit pies. Ladled over with melted fats and butter, they could be sealed inside a fat-laden crust and kept for days before spoilage began.

Exactly where pies came from is a mystery. Language scholars have been unable to trace the word to any one source. It’s believed by some to be a derivation from magpie, a bird that gathers a variety of foodstuffs and other objects, because old English pies were usually collections of assorted odds and ends and food scraps mixed with sweets for preservatives.

In early America and well into the 19th century, pie was a standard breakfast dish. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, or in-between, pie is enjoyed by everyone.

In a small RV kitchen it may not be easy to make a crust, but ready-made ones are available at the market—all you have to do is fill it, and here are some good ones for the season ahead.

PEAR-CRANBERRY LATTICE PIE
Pastry for double-crust 9-inch pie, unbaked
3/4 cup of sugar
3 tablespoons of cornstarch
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon of allspice
5 cups of sliced peeled fresh pears
2 cups of fresh cranberries
2 tablespoons of butter
1 egg
1 tablespoon of milk

Line a 9-inch pie plate with bottom pastry; set aside. Combine the sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon and allspice; add pears and cranberries and toss to coat. Spoon into crust; dot with butter.

Cut remaining pastry into eight 1-inch strips; twist strips and position parallel to each other and about one-half inch apart over filling. Trim strips evenly; seal and flute edges. In a small bowl, whisk egg and milk; brush over pastry. Sprinkle with additional sugar. Cover pie loosely with foil to prevent overbrowning.

Bake in preheated 450-degree oven 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and remove foil; bake for 40-45 minutes longer.

PECAN PIE
Pastry for 9-inch pie shell, unbaked
3 eggs
1 cup of brown sugar
1 cup of light corn syrup
1 cup of pecan halves
1 teaspoon of vanilla
1 tablespoon of flour

Combine above ingredients; pour into pie shell. Bake in preheated 325-degree oven for 1 hour.

PUMPKIN PIE
Pastry for 9-inch pie shell, unbaked.
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 3/4 cups of pumpkin
3/4 cup of sugar
1/2 teaspoon each of salt and ginger
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon of cloves
12 oz. can of evaporated milk

Mix above ingredients together in order given; pour into pie shell. Bake in preheated 425-degree oven 15 minutes; reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake 45 minutes longer.
... What’s Cookin’

SOUR CREAM RAISIN PIE
Pastry for 8-inch pie shell, unbaked
2 eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup of sugar
1/4 teaspoon each of salt and cloves
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg
1 cup of sour cream
1 cup of raisins (to plump up let raisins sit in boiling water for half an hour)

Combine all ingredients; pour into pie shell. Bake in preheated 450-degree oven 10 minutes; reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake 30 minutes longer.

MINCE PIE
Pastry for double-crust 9-inch pie, unbaked.

Take a large jar of prepared mincemeat with brandy and rum and add 1/4 cup more of brandy and rum along with 1 chopped apple, unpeeled, 1/2 cup of raisins and 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts. Put into pie shell; cover top with pastry. Trim and flute edges; cut slits into top and sprinkle with sugar. Bake in preheated 425-degree oven for 30 minutes.

APPLE PIE
Pastry for double-crust 9-inch pie, unbaked.
(If you are making your own pastry add a pinch of ginger, allspice, cinnamon and cloves to the flour; and always use ice water.)
6-8 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, sliced
1/4 cup of sugar
2 tablespoons of flour
1/8 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of grated lemon rind
2 teaspoons of lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
1 tablespoon of butter

Combine sugar, flour, salt, grated lemon rind, nutmeg and cinnamon. Place half of the apples in the pie shell. Squeeze 1 teaspoon of lemon juice over them and top with half of the sugar-flour mixture. Arrange rest of the apples on top, sprinkle one teaspoon of lemon juice and the rest of the sugar-flour mixture over the apples. Dot with butter.

Place top pastry over all; trim and flute edges. Cut slits near center. Brush top crust with a little beaten egg yolk or melted butter to glaze. Bake in preheated 425-degree oven for 40-50 minutes.

Here’s the best piecrust I have found: mix 2 cups of flour with 1 teaspoon of salt. Beat together 1/2 cup of vegetable oil with 5 tablespoons of ice water till thick and creamy. Pour over entire surface of flour immediately. Mix with fork to form ball. Makes pastry for one 8- or 9-inch double-crust pie.

Remember Little Jack Horner who sat in a corner eating a Christmas pie? Any time is the right time to eat pie, and there are all kinds of pies to be enjoyed at Christmastime.

HINT OF THE MONTH: To make a piecrust flakier, chill flour in the freezer for an hour prior to using. This keeps the butter being cut into the flour from melting, which can make for a tough crust.

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Marian Platt's regional narrative cookbook of Washington’s Sequim Valley, From My Kitchen Window, can be ordered by sending cash, check or money order for $25 (includes tax and handling/mailing costs) to Marian Platt, 434 Chicken Coop Rd., Sequim, WA 98382. Phone (360) 683-4691