My Favorite Vintage Pie Recipes

Traditionally the holiday season is the time for pie. A pie can be a fancy dessert without much fuss. They can be a basic pie such as pumpkin or a "fancier" pie such as any custard, cream or meringue pie. Just keep trying, you will find your "pie niche."

HOW TO KEEP JUICE FROM BOILING OVER WHEN MAKING FRUIT PIES:

1. Cut off the lower crust at the edge of the pan. With scissors, cut off top crust 1/2 inch beyond edge. Tuck this under the lower crust before crimping. This seals in the juices of the pie.

2. Place 1 1/2 inch pieces of uncooked macaroni in the top of the pie. The juice boils up into these little "chimneys" instead of boiling over the sides. This can be used with lattice or 2-crust pies.

3. Cut a circular piece of pastry the size of the inside top of the pie pan. When this is placed over the filing, it leaves a narrow opening around the edge and permits the steam to escape--keeping the juices in.

If you want to add a decoration to your pie, you can purchase a "pie bird". I just checked on e-bay and there are quite a lot of them for sale there. A pie bird is a ceramic piece that you put into the pie to allow the steam to escape. Sometimes so much steam can be escaping that the bird "sings." Pie birds make a cute kitchen collectible.

I know a lot of this information is stuff you already know and sounds redundant. I feel, however, there might always be one person who doesn't know and thus the information is welcomed.

Peach Parfait Pie:

1 1/4 cups water or juice
1 package raspberry gelatin
1 pint peach ice cream
1 cup chopped, sweetened fresh peaches
Baked 9-inch pie shell

Heat water to boiling in a saucepan. Remove from the heat and add the gelatin. Stir until dissolved. Add ice cream by the spoonfuls, stirring until melted. Chill until mixture is thickened but not set, 15 to 20 minutes. Fold in peaches. Turn into pie shell, chill until firm, 30 - 35 minutes. Garnish with whipped cream and peach slices, if desired. Makes 1 pie.

Pie Crust: Sift together 2 cups flour and 1 tsp salt. Cut in 1/3 cup shortening, using two knives or a pastry blender, until mixture resembles coarse corn meal. Cut in another 1/3 cup shortening until particles are the size of small peas. Sprinkle 5 to 6 tablespoons cold water over mixture, mixing with a fork until dough is moist enough to hold together. Press into a ball; chill well before rolling. Roll out on lightly floured board or pastry cloth. Makes enough for one 8-inch or 9-inch two crust pie or two 8-inch or 9-inch 1 crust pies.

Coconut Cream Pie:

2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
3 egg yolks, slightly beaten
2 cups milk
1 tsp vanilla
Baked 9-inch pie shell
1 cup whipping cream, whipped and sweetened to taste
Toasted shredded coconut

Mix sugar, flour and salt in the top of a double boiler. Combine egg yolks and milk. Stir into flour mixture; blend well. Cook over hot water until thickened, stirring constantly. Cover; cook 10 minutes longer. Cool slightly and add vanilla. Pour into pie shell. Cool. Just before serving, spread cream over filling and top with coconut. Makes 1 pie.

To Toast Coconut: Spread shredded moist-pack coconut in a thin layer on a baking sheet. Place in broiler 3 to 4 inches below heat, for 3 to 5 minutes. Watch carefully and stir with a fork.

Custard Pie: Beat 3 eggs slightly. Stir in 1/2 cup sugar and 1/4 tsp salt. Gradually add 3 cups hot milk; mix well. Stir in 1 tsp vanilla. Pour into unbaked 9-inch pie shell. Sprinkle with nutmeg. Bake in 425 degree oven for 40 minutes, or until a knife inserted near rim comes out clean.

Blueberry Pie:

1 Quart fresh blueberries
Pie pastry
1 teaspoon vinegar
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons flour
Nutmeg to taste
2 tablespoons butter

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Wash and pick over blueberries. Roll out half the pastry to 1/8 inch thick. Line a 9-inch pie pan and trim 1/4 inch from rim. Pour berries into pastry shell. Combine vinegar, sugar, flour and nutmeg; sprinkle over berries. Dot with butter. Roll out remaining pastry. Cut slit for steam to escape. Adjust over berries and trim 1/2 inch from rim of pan. Fold edge of the top pastry under the edge of the lower pastry. Press edges together and flute or crimp with tines of fork. Bake 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 375 degrees and bake 25 minutes longer or until brown. Makes 1 pie.Note: Two 12-ounce packages frozen blueberries may be used in place of the fresh blueberries. Decrease sugar to 1/2 cup.

Pecan Pie:

1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
3 eggs, slightly beaten
3/4 cup dark corn syrup
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
Unbaked 9-inch pie shell
Whole pecans

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cream butter. Add sugar gradually and continue beating until well mixed. Add next 5 ingredients and mix well. Pour into the pie shell. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes. Decorate the edge of the pie with whole pecans. Serve with whipped cream, if desired. Makes 1 pie.

Chocolate Brownie Pie: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine 3 well beaten eggs, 1/2 cup sugar, 2 squares unsweetened chocolate, melted, 2 tablespoons melted butter, 3/4 cup dark corn syrup. Beat thoroughly with mixer. Pour into an unbaked 9-inch pie shell. Bake 40 - 45 minutes or until set.

Orange Chiffon Pie:

1 tbsp unflavored gelatine
1/4 cup cold water
4 eggs, separated
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup sugar
Baked 9-inch pie shell
1 1/2 tbsp orange zest
Sweetened whipped cream

Soften gelatine in cold water. Beat the egg yolks until light. Stir in lemon juice, orange juice, salt and 1/2 cup of the sugar. Cook over hot, not boiling water until thickened, stirring constantly. Add gelatine, stir until dissolved. Chill until the mixture begins to thicken. Whip the egg whites until stiff; gradually beat in remaining sugar and orange zest. Fold into gelatine mixture. Pile into the pastry shell. Chill until firm. Top with whipped cream and additional orange zest. Makes 1 pie.

Traditional Pumpkin Pie and Old Fashioned Apple Pie recipes can be found at ruddysrecipes.blogspot.com.