Vinegar Pie
Serves: 2
Jonathan Flatley
1 January 1970
Based on User reviews:
51
Spice
50
Sweetness
49
Sourness
43
mins
Prep time (avg)
5.6
Difficulty
Ingredients:
3 tbsps
Cornstarch3 cup
Light Cream6 large
Egg Yolk3 large
Egg1.5 tsps
Vanilla Extract1.5 cups
Water1.5 cups
Sugar3 cup
Balsamic Vinegar6 tbsps
Unsalted ButterDirections:
1
Serving Suggestion: Pint of fresh strawberries; or 1/2 pint raspberries or blackberries, for garnish In a medium bowl, whisk the cornstarch into the cream
2
Let rest for 1 minute, then whisk again
3
Whisk in the yolks, eggs, and vanilla
4
In a medium saucepan, bring the water, sugar, vinegar, and butter to a boil
5
While whisking constantly, slowly drizzle the hot liquid into the egg mixture
6
Return to the saucepan and, while whisking constantly and scraping the bottom of the pot, cook until tiny bubbles boil up, about 10 seconds
7
Strain the curd into a bowl and let cool to room temperature
8
Spread the cooled filling in the pie shell, then refrigerate for 2 hours
9
Decorate with berries, if you like
10
Pie Shell: 3 tablespoons solid vegetable shortening 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into pea-size bits 2 to 3 tablespoons ice water Nonstick vegetable spray, for coating pan Between 2 sheets of waxed paper, flatten the shortening out to 1/8-inch thickness
11
With a butter knife, score it into 1/2-inch squares
12
Freeze for 30 minutes, until stiff
13
Put the flour in a large bowl
14
Using an electric mixer, pastry blender, or your fingertips, work in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal
15
In the same manner, mix in the shortening squares
16
While sprinkling in the ice water, mix with your fingers just until the dough comes together in a ball
17
Pat it into a 3/4-inch-thick disk
18
Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight
19
Set a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F
20
Lightly coat a 9-inch pie pan with nonstick vegetable spray
21
On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into an 11 1/2-inch circle about 1/8 inch thick
22
Fit it into a 9-inch pie plate
23
Trim the dough, leaving about a 1-inch overhang, then fold the overhang under itself and decoratively crimp it against the rim of the plate
24
Prick the dough all over with a fork
25
Freeze for 20 minutes
26
Line the pie shell with aluminum foil and weight down with dried beans or pie weights
27
Bake for 15 minutes
28
Remove the foil with the weights, lower the temperature to 350 degrees F and bake for 8 minutes longer, or until lightly tanned
29
Set on a rack to cool
30
When lemons were out of season, or just too expensive, millions of bakers figured out how to make a tart "curd-style" pie filling with vinegar
31
Cheap and always available, it turned out to be just the right stuff for adding some pucker to a pie
32
Jerry Lewis (yes, that Jerry Lewis) often reminisced about the wonderful vinegar pie that his grandma used to bake
33
O
34
K
35
, this pie may sound a little
36
Er, different, but don't be deterred
37
It was a real favorite a hundred years ago and if there ever was a pie that was deserving of re-discovery, this scrumptious old-time favorite is it
38
Of course Grandma Lewis didn't know about fancy-pant balsamic vinegar but that won't stop us from going upscale
39
Try it and get ready for a new-fangled flavor surprise
40
On its own, vinegar pie is truly amazing
41
Topped with fresh berries, it's the eighth wonder of the world