Conference turris::cooks

                                                   
This pie won the statewide Crisco American Pie Celebration competition
at the Topsfield Fair in October, 1990.  Created by Ann Marshall, Digital.


			DATE NUT PUMPKIN PIE
Crust:
1 1/2 c flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 c crisco
4-5 tbsp cold water

Combine flour & salt in medium bowl.  Cut in Crisco until blended.  
Sprinkle with water, 1 tbsp at a time.  Toss until dough forms a 
ball.  Press between wax paper and refrigerate.

Date/nut layer:
1 pkg (8 oz.) pitted whole dates, chopped
3/4 c water
1/3 c firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 c butter or margarine
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Combine dates & water in medium saucepan.  Cook on medium heat until 
mixture comes to a boil and dates have softened.  Add brown sugar and 
butter.  Stir to blend.  Remove from heat, add nuts & cinnamon; cool 
while preparing filling.

Filling:
2 eggs
1 1/2 c mashed, cooked or canned pumpkin, not pie filling
1/2 c granulated sugar
1/2 c packed brown sugar
1 c evaporated milk
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cloves

Heat oven to 450.  Beat eggs lightly in medium bowl.  Add pumpkin, 
granulated sugar, brown sugar, evaporated milk, cinnamon, ginger, 
nutmeg, salt & cloves, stir to blend.

Roll out pie crust.  Spoon date/nut mixture into pie shell, pour in 
pumpkin mixture.  Bake at 450 for 10 minutes.  Reduce oven temp to 350, 
bake for 35 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.  
Store in refrigerator.  Garnish with whipped cream.

    
    Rep .0
    
     I would just take either your favorite pie crust recipe or buy
    some in the supermarket. Then buy either a can of pineapple pie
    filling or make your own. If you want to make your own then buy
    a fresh pineapple and slice it up. Then take the slices and finely
    chop them. Place about 2 Cups of the pineapple in a pan and add
    2 Tbsp of corn starch mixed in alittle water. Heat the mixture
    until it thickens. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
    
     Place one layer of the crust in a pie plate and then add the filling
    and place another layer of the crust on top. Seal the edges of the
    crust and make a few vent holes in the top. Bake in a 350f oven 
    until the crust is golden brown 25-30min. 
    
    
     -mike
    

Fresh pineapple must be thoroughly cooked before adding any thickener.  It
contains an enzyme that will stop things like cornstarch in it's tracks.
That said, I recommend you make your filling using canned pineapple.  I
find the texture of crushed too mushy, so I prefer to use chunks.  Buy
two large cans of chunks in juice.  Drain the pineapple well, reserving
the juice.  Measure the juice and use 1 tablespoon cornstarch or
arrowroot powder for each cup of juice.  Reserve 1/4 cup juice.  Sweeten 
the rest of the juice to taste with sugar.  Heat juice and sugar over 
medium heat.  While the juice is heating, mix the thickening agent into 
just enough cold juice to make a paste and then gradually stir in the
rest of the 1/4 cup juice.  Stir the mixture into the warm, but not
boiling, juice/sugar.  Bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes or until
slightly thickened.  Remove from stove and stir in the pineapple chunks.
cool to room temperature.  Fill two crusted, deep-dish pie with filling.
Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes, and until brown at 350 degrees - like
30 minutes or so.

Serve warm or cold - ala mode with homemade coconut ice cream is a killer... 

  It's true about the enzymes in fresh pineaple, but I don't know to
  what extent they affect the thickening action of flour and cornstarch.
  They certainly break down animal protein in a hurry, though.

  My wife has a fabulous pineapple pie recipe made with fresh ripe
  pineapple. If I can persuade her to let me type it in, I'll do so. In
  the meanwhile, I'll reveal that she uses a secret ingredient which has
  a miraculous effect: vodka.

PINEAPPLE CHESS PIE
-------------------

4 eggs, beaten
2 cups sugar
1 cup flaked coconut
1 8 oz. can crushed pineapple, undrained
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
1 TBS flour
1 TBS cornmeal
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 unbaked 9-inch pastry shell

Combine eggs, sugar, coconut, pineapple, butter, flour, cornmeal, and vanilla
in a large mixing bowl, stirring well to combine.  Pour mixture into unbaked
pastry shell.  Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until filling is set.
Cool pie completely before serving.  

    I make this pineapple pie with vanilla pudding and it's simple and
    good.
    
    Baked pie crust for a 9" pie
    2 boxes vanilla pudding(not instant)
    1 large can crushed pineapple
    
    Drain pineapple well for at least 1/2 hour. Make pudding according to
    directions and let cool for about 20 minutes at room temperature. Re-
    move skin* that has formed on top of pudding and blend in drained pine-
    apple. Pour pudding into cooked piecrust and let cool in refrigerator for  
    at least 3 hours. 
    
    Serve with whipped cream
     
    *You may also put saran wrap over the surface of the pudding to prevent
     a skin from forming, let cool for at least 15 minutes longer. This
     will also make the pudding creamier.
    

    I made this pie over the weekend. It is rich, but very good.
    Almonds can be substituted for macadamia nuts.

                   Macadamia Pineapple Pie

        Crust
	pie crust for one layer pie
        1/2 cup finely chopped macadamia nuts

        Filling
        3/4 cup sugar
        1/4 cup flour
        1 tablespoon lemon juice
        1 tablespoon melted margarine
        1 cup coarsely chopped macadamia nuts
        1 cup coconut
        1 20oz can of crushed pineapple, drained

        Topping
        3/4 cup flour
        1/3 cup of sugar
        1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
        1/3 cup margarine
        1/2 cup finely chopped macadamia nuts

        Preheat oven to 400

        Roll out pie crust and place in a 9 inch pie plate. Sprinkle macadamia
        nuts on bottom. Mix all of filling ingredients together. Stir well.
        Pour into prepared pie plate. 

        For topping mix flour, sugar and cinnamon together. Cut margarine in
        with a pastry blender. Stir in nuts. Sprinkle topping onto filling.

        Bake for 25 to 35 minutes or until topping is golden brown.

I tried the date nut pumpkin pie recipe in .2 and it is FABULOUS!  I made 
it last night for Thanksgiving and I had to try a piece; I just couldn't wait 
until Thursday.  I know it's tacky to bring a pie home with a piece missing,
but I don't care! ;-)

Hint:

I would recommend using a 10" pie shell as I had some filling left over from
using a 9".  Also, I used 1/4 cup of chopped walnuts and that seemed to be 
the perfect amount.  

Definitely try this recipe; it's unusual, but delicious.