Pennsylvania dutch shoofly pie
Instructions:
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The Pennsylvania Dutch claim they can make pies out of anything. Among them are crumb pies, oatmeal pies, and a concoction that inspired a song—shoofly pie. Shoofly pies were made out of crumbs and molasses, and there are many explanations for the name. One is that the filling is so sweet one must shoo away the flies before one can eat the pie. Another is that flies are partial to molasses and have to be chased away while one is making the pie.
Shoofly pies are breakfast pastries, usually served with morning coffee. They have the consistency of a spongy spice cake baked in a rich, flaky pastry. A good Pennsylvania Dutch cook loves a challenge and can prepare a pie from a minimum of ingredients.
- 11⁄2 cups all-purpose flour;
- 1⁄2 cup sugar;
- 1⁄2 teaspoon cinnamon;
- 1⁄4 teaspoon ginger;
- 1⁄4 teaspoon nutmeg;
- 1⁄8 teaspoon salt;
- 1⁄4 cup butter;
- 1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda;
- 1⁄2 cup light or dark molasses;
- 3⁄4 cup boiling water;
- 1 unbaked 9-inch pie shell.
- Preheat oven to 375 F.
- In a bowl or in the work bowl of a food processor with the steel blade in place, combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt. Cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the baking soda and molasses, and stir in the boiling water.
- Add 11⁄2 cups of the crumbs to the molasses mixture and stir well. Pour filling into the pie shell. Sprinkle top with the remaining crumbs. Bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until pie is set.