Some folks, when served pie with a crust, will spoon out the filling and leave the crust behind on the plate — citing dietary concerns. Others say making pie crust is too time consuming and often it doesn’t turn out light and flaky.
This week’s recipes offer three pies that don’t involve making pie crust. The recipes come from friends and I have made the carrot and coconut pies but have not personally made the sour cream pie although I have tasted a slice when my friend shared the finished product.
• • •
Crustless Carrot Pie
1/2 cup Easy Bisk
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. mace
1 tsp. ginger
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
2 eggs
1 cup Carnation evaporated milk
2 1/2 lbs. carrots to make 1 3/4 cups pureed carrots
Peel, slice and cook carrots until soft. Drain, cool slightly then mash. Spoon by small batches into a blender or food processor and puree until smooth and most lumps have been removed. Transfer to a measuring cup and cool completely.
Mix dry ingredients.
Beat eggs, add milk then carrots and mix thoroughly. Add dry ingredients and mix well.
Spoon into a greased 9x9 inch pan or a deep dish pie plate. Bake at 350 degrees F for 40-45 minutes until toothpick inserted into centre comes out clean. Outside edges will begin to slightly crack. Cool completely on rack. Slice and serve with whipped cream or ice cream.
• • •
No Crust Coconut Pie
4 large eggs
2 cups white sugar
2 cups milk
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsps. baking powder
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups flaked coconut
Beat eggs then add milk, sugar and melted butter and mix well.
Add dry ingredients, beating after each addition. Beat in coconut.
Divide batter between two greased 8 inch pie plates. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 80 minutes until firm. Watch closely so pies don’t burn. Cool on racks before serving.
• • •
Sour Cream Crustless Pie
1 cup chopped sultana raisins
1 1/2 tbsps. flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. cloves
2 egg yolks
1 cup sour whipping cream
Mix raisins, flour, salt and spices. Add to sour cream. Mix carefully. Beat eggs yolks vigorously then add to sour cream mixture. Whip egg whites until stiff then fold into the mixture.
Pour into a deep dish pie plate. Bake at 375 degrees F until knife inserted into custard comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Cool before serving.
Note: one cup sour milk mixed with a lump of butter and whisked may be used in place of sour whipping cream. If desired, the egg whites may be left out of pie mixture then used to make a meringue for top of pie. If a crust seems necessary, the custard mix may be baked as a regular one-crust pie.
Joyce Walter can be reached at ronjoy@sasktel.net
