Okay, so, you probably noticed there was no post last week. Sorry! There are two reasons for this, which I can explain in one sentence: my camera broke while I was at the Penny Arcade Expo. So, yeah, I was flying home from Seattle, and, I needed to buy a new camera! If you want to learn about my adventures at PAX, read this blog entry, but, if you’re here for another old-fashioned pie, stay right where you’re at!
This recipe was another one taken from the old edition of Betty Crocker that I have. It’s a bit like a pecan pie, made with raisins, and not quite as sweet.
Ingredients:
1 cup brown sugar
3 tbsp cornstarch
1 1/2 cups of water
2 cups raisins
1 orange
1 lemon
1/2 cup walnuts or walnut pieces
1 pastry for 9-inch lattice-top pie
Start by zesting and juicing the orange and lemon, and mixing it all together. The recipe is specific about these amounts – 1 tsp orange peel, 1/2 tsp lemon peel, 1/3 cup orange juice and 3 tbsp lemon juice. Basically you’ll find you get the right amount from one of each fruit though.
Put this in a saucepan on the stove along with the rest of the stuff, minus the nuts.
It doesn’t look super tasty at first, but cook it over medium heat until it starts to thicken up and bubble.
At this state, take it off the heat.
Now stir in the nuts, and pour in to the pie crust. Or pour in to the pie crust and realize you forgot the nuts and put them on top giving them a quick stir. No, I did that on accident, but it worked fine!
You’re making a lattice top. You know now how to do this, right? Here’s an in-progress shot. Ignore the random kitchen detritus; I know it looks totally overposed but those were just some veggies I was chopping up to use in dinner.
Seal edges. If desired, use a milk or egg wash along with sugar to decorate the top. Bake the pie for 30-35 minutes at 400 degrees. Then remove to cool.
I ate a slice after it was cooled and while I’ll go ahead and say this one is a perfectly serviceable dessert, I can sort of see why it never caught on as a pie staple. Most people like raisins as an accent to cookies or salads, but this pie is one big solid chunk of raisin. If you really really like raisins as a main event, then definitely cook this one up, though I personally don’t know anyone who likes raisins that much. It does hold together well and could probably use a little ice cream. Maybe cinnamon?
Pie-A-Week 