Shoofly Pie & Apple Pan Dowdy

        

        

        The movie “Dead Reckoning”, starring Humphrey Bogart, was on television recently.  Bogart was in some great movies- The Maltese Falcon, Casablanca, African Queen- but this 1947 film noir is not one of them.  A ludicrous plot is encumbered by a dialogue so silly and contrived even Bogart can’t make it work.  In one scene his character calls the hotel desk to inquire (in a fake southern accent no less),  “Listen, honey, haven’t you got any radio news programs in this city?  All I get is commercials and a lot of that Apple Pan Dowdy.  Not until 12:00?  Well, thank you kindly, ma’am.”

        My husband is an avid fan of old movies, but it took him a couple of days to get through this potboiler.  I gave up after half an hour and have no idea how the movie turned out.  The above dialogue, however, left me with a tune going through my head.  One has to assume that in his complaint to the hotel, Bogart is referring to a hit song from 1946, “Shoo-Fly Pie and Apple Pan Dowdy”.  Popular versions were recorded by Dinah Shore, Stan Kenton with June Christy, Ella Fitzgerald, and Guy Lombardo.  Of course, even the most fabulous song becomes tiresome when it is on the radio constantly.   

        Strangely enough, my husband had never heard the song, and was equally unfamiliar with the desserts.  While growing up in Brooklyn surrounded by his Polish and Italian relatives, he was apparently never exposed to these homey American classics.  Shoofly Pie is a Pennsylvania Dutch treat, which is very similar to southern Chess Pie and British Treacle Tart.  All these desserts can be thrown together with basic ingredients from your pantry.  Apple Pan Dowdy is a rustic variation of apple pie, which probably originated in the early 1800’s in New England. 

        I decided that the next day I would make a Shoofly Pie, and when that was gone I would follow up with Apple Pan Dowdy.  Although I had not made a Shoo-Fly Pie for many years, I was pretty sure of where I could find the recipe.  As I suspected, even my favorite old baking books had no such dessert listed.  In a situation like this I knew there would be only one source- my falling apart copy of The New York Times Heritage Cook Book by Jean Hewitt, from 1972.  And for the Apple Pan Dowdy I turned to a newer addition to my library (2003), The King Arthur Flour Baker’s Companion.  Needless to say, I couldn’t help humming the song as I made the Shoo-Fly Pie and Apple Pan Dowdy.   

Shoofly Pie  (from the New York Times Heritage Cook Book)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups flour

1 cup light or dark brown sugar

1/2 cup butter

1/4 tsp. salt 

1/2 tsp. baking soda

2/3 cup water (I used a little less)

2/3 cup dark, full flavor molasses 

1 unbaked pie shell

Directions:

Begin with your favorite one crust pie recipe.  Here is mine-

1 1/2 cup King Arthur flour

1/4 tsp. salt

2/3 cup Butter Flavored Crisco shortening    

3 - 4 Tbs. cold water

Preheat oven to 350.

Follow the directions for pie crust in my August 20, 2013 blog post, with one exception-  For a one crust pie I flute the crust.  Place the crust lined pie plate in the refrigerator while you make the filling.  This will not take very long.

Note- I use the medium/small Pyrex Cinderella Bowl for a one crust recipe.  

In a medium/large bowl, combine flour, sugar and butter.  Rub the mixture with your hands to form crumbs.  Set this aside.

I a smallish bowl combine water and baking soda.  

Stir in molasses.

Pour the molasses mixture into the pie shell.  Sprinkle with crumb mixture.  

Bake for about 40 minutes, until the filling is set.  

This pie should be allowed to sit for awhile before cutting into it. (hence the name Shoofly)

Both these recipes call for molasses.  My favorite is Brer Rabbit, which is available in Mild Flavor, Full Flavor and Blackstrap.

Apple Pan Dowdy 

 adapted from the King Arthur Flour Baker's Companion

Ingredients

About 8 pie apples

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 - 1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1/4 cup water

1/2 cup molasses (I use Mild Flavor)

2 Tbs. cold butter

A little milk and sugar

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Get out an 8 inch cake pan, or a 9 inch pie plate.

Cut up apples into the cake or pie pan.  When you have enough, pour them into a large bowl.  

Combine sugar, salt and spices.  Mix this into the apples.

Make the pie crust.  For this recipe, refer to my blog post from August 20th, 2013.

Divide the dough into 2 pieces, with one slightly larger.  Roll out the larger piece and place it in the cake pan.  

Pour the apple mixture into the crust.

Measure 1/4 cup water in a glass measuring cup.  Pour in enough molasses to bring the level to 3/4 cup.  Pour this over the apple filling.  

Dot with cut up butter.

Roll out the rest of the dough and carefully place it over the filling.  Don't worry if it falls apart; just patch it up the best you can.  Press the edges together.

Brush top with milk and sprinkle with sugar, if you like.

Bake for 40 - 45 minutes, or until top is nicely browned.

Cool for about 15 minutes.  Then use a sharp knife and a fork to slash through both crusts and mess it up a little.  There should still be large sections of crust intact, submerged in the juicy apple molasses filling. 

Serve with Reddi-Wip. (This is a staple at our house)