Pie - Recipe

I come from a pie family. Yes, I do. But...I'd rather eat cake. For shame. My mom can whip out a perfect pie crust from scratch, in seconds, and pie is a general Kennedy family fave in every way. Don't get me wrong, I do like pie...I just like cake better, if given the choice! My mom is from a pie family too. Her mother so generously cuts an entire 9" pie into 8 slices. My dad's mom...perhaps not the pie lover, and definitely not the best baker in the world cut her pie slices into 16th's.

So today, as I made I pie, I reflected on some of these Pie Memories, and shared them with my kids. A Kennedy Slice means you want a tiny (16th) piece of pie, and are perhaps 1. not hungry or 2. not a fan of pie. A Shantz Slice means you want a huge piece of pie:-) It is an easy way to describe, and I like that.

Did you know that on my Mom's side, I am...a Mennonite?! Well, 'tis true. Mennonite by heritage that is, and not by "religion" (there was a shunning incident involving my Great Grandparents). Another story for another time. In any case, my heritage on that side of the family is Amish/Woolich (a type of Amish specific to the region they lived in). Which means I am able to trace my family roots and cousins, all the way back to Noah, because Mennonites are good at record keeping:-). I don't know why I bring that up, except to say that perhaps mentally I associate pie with Mennonites. Lol.

I have a recipe passed down from my Great Grandma, Ruby Haas. It's called Shoo Fly Pie, and it seems to be made entirely out of...molasses. Yuck. Although I do not remember it, I am sure I have been made to gag down a taste of that one in my childhood, and thus, perhaps the reason I prefer cake. I do not believe Germans have ever been renowned for their cooking. Because pigs tails and cow tongues are not good. No matter how they are prepared.

My Grandparents, although no longer conversational (I assume?), still could understand and speak Pennsylvanian Dutch. So we heard a few words here and there growing up, that they would interject into conversation.

Anyway, here is the pie I made today, which brought on so many memories. I am so grateful for such a rich family history!

PIE
1 pie shell (9" - make your own or use a refrigerated one from store)
6 C apples - thinly sliced/chopped
1 T lemon juice (optional)

3/4 C white sugar
2 T white flour
1/2 t cinnamon
1/8 t nutmeg
1/2 C raisins (optional)
1/2 C chopped walnuts (optional)

CRUMB TOPPING
1/2 C flour
1/2 C brown sugar
3 T butter

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. Place sliced apples in a large bowl. Sprinkle with lemon juice if desired. In a small bowl, mix together white sugar, 2 tablespoons flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Sprinkle mixture over apples. Toss until apples are evenly coated. Stir in raisins and walnuts if desired. Spoon mixture into pastry shell.
3. In a small bowl mix together 1/2 cup flour and brown sugar. Cut in butter or margarine until mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle mixture over apple filling. Cover top loosely with aluminum foil.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 25 to 30 minutes, until top is golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.