This is a post which I wrote back in March of 2006. I thought I’d share it with you again, because I’m going to be too busy to post anything creative in the next day or so, and also because this is one of the things I’m doing today: making Shoofly Pies!

These are easy, inexpensive, and really really yummy! Practice making one ahead of time, and then surprise your family with something completely new over the Holidays.

Here’s a cut and paste of the post:

Pastry for a Single-Crust Pie

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
6 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/8 teaspoon cloves
1/2 cup molasses
1/2 cup hot water
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Prepare and roll out pastry. Line a 9″ pie plate. Trim and flute edges. If you prebake, do not prick the pastry - prebake for 5 minutes in a 450 degree oven, and cool thoroughly. I don’t prebake. The crust always comes out moist and flaky - never tough or rubbery.

Filling:

In a mixing bowl, stir together the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger and cloves. Cut in the butter until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs.

In a different bowl (I use a 4 cup measuring cup instead of a bowl, makes the pouring easier) combine the molasses, hot water, and baking soda.

Don’t panic … it will have a lively reaction when you put in the baking soda! :-)

Regular recipes usually call for pouring a liquid layer into the pie crust first, but I’ve noticed that this often leads to a leaky pie once it’s cooked. I usually put a small amount of the dry layer down first, then I gently pour some of the hot, “fuzzling” liquid over that, usually pouring it over the back of a spoon to keep it from splashing. Then another dry layer, thin, but enough to mostly cover the wet layer. Repeat layers, ending with a dry layer, and completely hiding the wet layer beneath. I can usually get about 4 wet/dry layers total per pie.

Cover the edges of the pie with tin foil, and bake at 350 for about 45 minutes. Remove the tin foil and finish baking until the center is firm. Cool on rack before serving.

Ovens are very different, so pay attention to the way the pie looks. It might take your pie less time than it takes mine … and as far as the tin foil goes, you just want to take it off early enough for the edges to be golden.

This is a lovely pie … nice served with vanilla or coffee ice cream … or fresh, sweetened whipped cream with a bit of vanilla extract. It’s the easiest and least expensive pie that I make out of everything in my regular repertoire. The flavor is not quite like anything else … and nor is the consistency. Addictive! :o)

Dr. Scan Man has proposed that we start a new political party …

That aside. Why don’t you start a political party Moof, and name it the ‘Grateful Dead Party.’ I’m fairly certain we will have at least a dozen members. Note the we, I would like to be recognized as one of the founding members with immediate grant of US citizenship. ;)

Now, I think the man has something there! Why not, indeed!?

I declare the party, um, started … or is that thrown?

Well, in any case … by the powers conferred on me by, um, myself, I grant Dr. Scan Man full US Citizenship!

Actually guys … we could learn a lot from Dr. Scan Man and his fellow citizens … I know that he amazes me with new ideas all the time!

Anyway … as Dr. Scan Man proposed, we’ll name the party the “Grateful Dead” party (the drink, not the rock band, sorry Arunn! ;o) … and the only requirement for belonging to the party is having a love for the ambrosial nectar … :o)

Here is the party’s secret, um *cough* formula:

Make sure you have a place to hang out for a while … do not attempt to operate your feet, never mind your car!!!

I cheat when I make my Sour Mix. I buy frozen concentrated lime juice, and I mix it heavy … I leave off some water. For example, if the can calls for 3 1/3 cups of water, I use just short of 3 cups. Do not, I repeat , do not under any circumstances let anyone convince you that a Grateful Dead made with POWDERED SOUR MIX is “as good.” They’re not only not “as good,” they’re not even drinkable!

A properly made Grateful Dead will cause your ears to steam, your socks to fly off from your feet, and your eyeballs to roll back into your head … all the while being as light and fruity to the palate as a raspberry fruit punch. Restaurants will only serve any one customer two of the frothy pink beauties, and then you’re cut off, Dude!

Our Party’s Motto: “We may not change the world, but we’ll sure change the way you see it!” >;o)

Anyone who wants to join this new political party … sign up below!

Pastry for a Single-Crust Pie

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
6 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/8 teaspoon cloves
1/2 cup molasses
1/2 cup hot water
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Prepare and roll out pastry. Line a 9″ pie plate. Trim and flute edges. If you prebake, do not prick the pastry - prebake for 5 minutes in a 450 degree oven, and cool thoroughly. I don’t prebake. The crust always comes out moist and flaky - never tough or rubbery.

Filling:

In a mixing bowl, stir together the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger and cloves. Cut in the butter until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs.

In a different bowl (I use a 4 cup measuring cup instead of a bowl, makes the pouring easier) combine the molasses, hot water, and baking soda.

Don’t panic … it will have a lively reaction when you put in the baking soda! :-)

Regular recipes usually call for pouring a liquid layer into the pie crust first, but I’ve noticed that this often leads to a leaky pie once it’s cooked. I usually put a small amount of the dry layer down first, then I gently pour some of the hot, “fuzzling” liquid over that, usually pouring it over the back of a spoon to keep it from splashing. Then another dry layer, thin, but enough to mostly cover the wet layer. Repeat layers, ending with a dry layer, and completely hiding the wet layer beneath. I can usually get about 4 wet/dry layers total per pie.

Cover the edges of the pie with tin foil, and bake at 350 for about 45 minutes. Remove the tin foil and finish baking until the center is firm. Cool on rack before serving.

Ovens are very different, so pay attention to the way the pie looks. It might take your pie less time than it takes mine … and as far as the tin foil goes, you just want to take it off early enough for the edges to be golden.

This is a lovely pie … nice served with vanilla or coffee ice cream … or fresh, sweetened whipped cream with a bit of vanilla extract. It’s the easiest and least expensive pie that I make out of everything in my regular repertoire. The flavor is not quite like anything else … and nor is the consistency. Addictive! :o)

Well, my tourtières and cretons are all done. I simmered the pork all afternoon. When my son got home from college, the first thing he did as he came through the door was sniff in appreciation of the aroma wafting through the house. They smelled so good that even my non-Franco daughter-in-law tried some today!

Tourtières and cretons have graced French Canadian holiday tables for a very long time. If you’re on a diet, you may not even want to enter the same room they’re in … the savory delights are very fattening.

They’re also very rich. When I small, I remember visiting with a Dominican Brother on Christmas Eve. My parents dressed us all up, and we went to bring him a bit of holiday cheer. While we were there, he told us about some poor fellow in the parish who had eaten so much toutière earlier in the day that he’d gotten sick and died! *boggle!* Frenchmen really like their tourtières, but that might have been a case of carrying things just a bit too far …

If you look at the picture above, the “toutière” is the pie in the center of picture, and the cup just above the pie is the cretons. Tourtière is a traditional pork pie - and cretons is a pork spread for use on crackers, toast, etc..

1 pound of ground pork
2 medium onions
salt and pepper to taste

Chop (not mince) the onions finely. Mix the onions and pork, add the salt and pepper. Cover meat with water, and simmer slowly until there is barely any water left. This could take a while, depending on your stove. (Count on at least 2 hours … best if even more.)

Once there’s hardly any water left, add the following spices:

1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 of a teaspoon of cloves
1/2 of a teaspoon of nutmeg

Stir carefully. Continue cooking until the meat looks wet, the bottom isn’t sticking, but the water really is almost all cooked out. Let the meat spread cool off until it can be poured into an attractive container without breaking it. Refrigerate. The meat will set up firmly.

Before serving, garnish with dill or parsely and a few cranberries. Serve with crackers or toast.

Pastry for 2 crusts - 8 inches

1 lb ground pork
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup water
1/4 teaspoon of pepper
1/2 teaspoon of cornstarch
1 clove of garlic
1 medium potato

Mix all of the ingredients, and simmer slowly. The potato and garlic will become soft, and be able to be mashed in with the meat when you’re done.

When the meat has been simmering long enough for everything to be soft, and for the liquid to be almost completely gone (could be more than 2 hours,) add the following spices to the meat:

3/4 teaspoon of cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon of cloves
1/3 teaspoon of nutmeg

(You can adjust the spices to your own tastes … I always make mine a bit spicier.)

Stir it all in together. Once the water is just about completely gone, and the meat looks a bit like a meaty pudding, pour it into your already rolled out pie dough. Assemble the pie by putting the top crust on, and fluting the edges. Bake for between 40 minutes to 1 hour at 350 degrees. You’re only trying to get the dough cooked through … since the meat is already done. You want to take the pie out when the dough is cooked - and a nice golden brown.

Tourtières can be served warm or cold. Some people like their tourtière with ketchup (ewww! ;) …