PILGRIM PIE

For our anniversary (45 years) I decided to make a pie for my husband. He has always said he prefers pie over other desserts. I considered making a lemon meringue as that used to be his favorite, but when I was looking through Wanda E. Brunstetter's Amish Friends Cookbook - Desserts and saw the recipe from Mrs. Chris Beachy of McIntire, Iowa for Pilgrim Pie, I knew I had to finally give it a try. (I had marked the recipe earlier but just hadn't gotten around to trying it.)

There was another recipe a few pages earlier in the cookbook called Coconut-Oatmeal Pie that was very similar. It uses 3 eggs but has half as much coconut and oatmeal as the Pilgrim Pie uses. As far as I am concerned you can't have too much coconut in any dessert so I decided to make the Pilgrim Pie instead of the other one. (The Pilgrim Pie also called for a little water.)

Well, neither of us were disappointed with my choice. It is really interesting. Because of so much coconut, it is almost like a coconut cream pie without the cream - if you know what I mean. The oats also give it an added taste. I used organic unsweetened coconut and can't imagine using sweetened coconut. It is definitely sweet enough as I made it. (Of course, we are used to less sweet desserts.) I think if I ever used sweetened coconut, I would reduce the sugar called for in the recipe.

PILGRIM PIE

1/4       cup margarine (I used butter)
1           cup sugar
2          eggs
1           cup light corn syrup
1/2       cup water
1           teaspoon vanilla
1           cup flaked coconut (I used organic unsweetened flaked coconut)
1           cup rolled oats (I used old fashioned)
1/2       teaspoon salt
1           (9 inch) unbaked pastry shell

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Cream butter and sugar. (I thinly sliced the butter to help it cream faster and better.)

Add remaining ingredients and

mix well.

Pour into unbaked pastry shell.

Bake for 10 minutes.

Reduce heat to 350 degrees F and bake 30 minutes longer.

Cool on wire rack.

Serve.

FLAKY PIE CRUST 
(For one 8 - or 9 - inch pie crust)

1-1/4     cups unsifted flour
1/2         teaspoon salt
1/2         cup shortening
3           tablespoons water (about)

Combine flour and salt. Cut in shortening with a pastry cutter or 2 knives until the mixture resembles coarse meal. 

Sprinkle in the water, a small amount at a time, mixing lightly with a fork until all particles are moistened and cling together when pressed into a ball. (Amount of water varies with flour.)

(I did use the 3 tablespoons of water and using my hands,

formed the mixture into a ball.)

Cover and let stand a few minutes. (I made the crust first and let it stand while I mixed up the pie.)

Roll out on a lightly floured surface til very thin so that it is bigger than your pie pan.

Place in pie pan having an extra inch over the sides. Trim excess off.

Fold the extra inch back under the edge to make a double thickness around the rim. "Decorate" (flute) as desired. 

Fill with pie filling or bake at 450 degrees F for 12 to 15 minutes for baked pie crust.

Cyndy Keyes recommends that you prick the crust if you are baking it to be filled later with a filling. See comments below.

 General Foods Corporation