email this pageRelish the American Table is a weekly column that appears in newspapers across the country.
Perhaps no other dessert is so identified with Pennsylvania Dutch country as Shoo-Fly Pie. This dark, sticky, sweet pie was made famous by Dinah Shore’s 1946 hit song “Shoo Fly Pie and Apple Pandowdy.” The origin of the pie’s unusual name has been debated for years. Legend has it that the pie was traditionally set to cool on a windowsill, and its main ingredient, molasses (once known as “poor man’s sugar”), attracted flies, which then had to be “shooed” away.
With a gooey molasses bottom, Shoo-Fly Pie is somewhat like a coffee cake, and because it uses corn syrup, it’s also closely related to pecan pie. Some versions use spices; some don’t. No matter how you opt to enjoy this delicious Dutch treat, you’ll find that Shoo-Fly Pie is best served slightly warmed with a pile of whipped cream on top. If your travels don’t take you to the Pennsylvania Dutch countryside, indulge yourself with this recipe from Beiler’s Bakery at Reading Terminal in Philadelphia, Pa. As Ms. Shore sang, “I never get enough of that wonderful stuff.”Shoo-Fly Pie
Recipe adapted from The Reading Terminal Market Cookbook by Ann Hazan and Irina Smith (Camino Books, Philadelphia, Pa., 1997).
Ingredients
Ingredients
Piecrust for a 9-inch pie plate
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup warm water
1 egg, beaten
1 cup molasses (not blackstrap)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
Instructions
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup warm water
1 egg, beaten
1 cup molasses (not blackstrap)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1. Preheat oven to 425F. Line a 9-inch pie plate with pastry crust.
2. In a medium bowl, dissolve baking soda in warm water; mix in egg and molasses. Place flour, sugar and shortening in another bowl and mix until crumbly. Add ½ cup of crumb mixture into molasses mixture; mix well. Pour into prepared piecrust. Sprinkle remaining crumbs evenly over top.
3. Bake 15 minutes; reduce heat to 350F, place foil on top, and continue baking 30 minutes longer or until the center is firm. Serves 8.
"Relish the American Table," October 1, 2006.
Nutritional Information
2. In a medium bowl, dissolve baking soda in warm water; mix in egg and molasses. Place flour, sugar and shortening in another bowl and mix until crumbly. Add ½ cup of crumb mixture into molasses mixture; mix well. Pour into prepared piecrust. Sprinkle remaining crumbs evenly over top.
3. Bake 15 minutes; reduce heat to 350F, place foil on top, and continue baking 30 minutes longer or until the center is firm. Serves 8.
"Relish the American Table," October 1, 2006.
Per serving: 440 calories, 18g fat, 4g prot., 67g carbs., 1g fiber, 125mg sodium.
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