RECIPE: Indiana Black Walnut and Sorghum Pie
November 8, 2011 10:10AM
Sorghum syrup sweetens this pie made with locally harvested black walnuts. | Al Podgorski~Sun-Times
Updated: December 10, 2011 8:03AM
MAKES 8 to 10 SERVINGS
CRUST
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons fresh lard or butter, softened2 c
ups sifted pastry flour (or 1 cup all-purpose and 1 cup cake flour)
6 tablespoons iced water
FILLING
1/4 cup cold butter, cut into bits
1/2 cup granulated sugar 1 teaspoon salt 3 eggs 1 cup sorghum molasses 2 cups black walnut pieces 2 tablespoons good Kentucky bourbon or vanilla extract
(see Note)
Use your hands to break up into coarse meal once again before adding water. Press dough together to incorporate water until it forms a ball. Don’t overwork dough or it will be tough; coarser is better as long as it holds together.
Shape into thin disc 6 inches in diameter, and refrigerate 1 hour. Roll out and fit into pie pan; keep chilled.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Use fork to poke a few tiny holes in bottom of chilled pie crust. Bake until crust just starts to blister but not brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Turn oven down to 350, remove pie crust and reserve.
For the filling: In cold mixing bowl, cream butter, sugar and salt very well until creamy and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Cream until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low and add sorghum, then walnuts and bourbon or vanilla, combining well after each addition.
Pour into pie shell and bake 45 to 50 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean. Serve hot or cold with ice cream or lots of whipped cream.
Note: Sorghum molasses, or sorghum syrup, is extracted from sweet sorghum (as opposed to regular molasses, which is derived from sugar cane or sugar beets). Find it online, or substitute light molasses or dark corn syrup.
Paul Fehribach, Big Jones
Nutrition facts per serving: 696 calories, 41 g fat, 14 g saturated fat, 133 mg cholesterol, 73 g carbohydrates, 45 g sugars, 13 g protein, 420 mg sodium, 3 g fiber
