I Confess!

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I have a confession to make that may seem a little sacrilegious, particularly at this time of year as everyone is gearing up for Thanksgiving.

I’m not a fan of pie.

I love fruit. I just don’t really see the point of putting it into a pastry crust. I dutifully make pies in the summer, of course, because friends and family members enjoy eating them. And at this time of year, pies are de rigueur; they fairly shriek “Thanksgiving.” So I bake them—and I try to be cheerful while doing so.

Sometimes I cheat, however. This recipe is an example of that cheating.

Nantucket Cranberry Pie is something I learned to make from my late neighborhood matriarch Mary Parker, a.k.a. Gam. What I love about it is … it isn’t really a pie. It’s more a cross between a cake and a huge cookie.

It’s also remarkably easy to put together—no rolling of crust, just a bit of washing, a bit of tossing, and a bit of whisking. Try it, and the pie part of your Thanksgiving preparation will be a snap.

I love the recipe so much I put it in my Pudding Hollow Cookbook, which makes a lovely holiday (or hostess) gift, by the way. Sorry to blow my own horn, but it IS that time of year, and as most of you know selling books is how I make my living!

Ashley Kohl and I had fun making (and tasting) the pie recently on Mass Appeal. (See video below!).

I wish you all a Thanksgiving full of fun, family, and of course gratitude. And maybe a tiny piece of pie.

NCpieweb

Nantucket Cranberry Pie

Ingredients:

2 cups raw cranberries
1-1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional but good)
3/4 cup melted sweet butter
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract

Instructions:

Grease a 9- or 10-inch pie plate. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Wash and pick over the cranberries. Put them in the bottom of the pie plate. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of the sugar and the walnuts. Make a batter of the remaining ingredients, first combining the butter and the remaining sugar and then adding the eggs, flour, and flavoring. Pour the batter over the cranberries.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Top with whipped cream. (Ice cream works well, too. Or just serve it alone.) Serves 8.

And now … the video:

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6 Responses to “I Confess!”

  1. Margie says:

    Too bad you’re not a pie person. You are missing out a lot, Tinky. Coconut, chocolate, chess pies are all so good. I can’t leave out sweet potato and pecan. Pumpkin is okay, but too bland for me. Fruit pies, like apple and cherry are okay, but not at the top of my favorites.
    I must say your cranberry pie sounds and looks really good, but it resembles a cobbler.
    Oh, well.
    Happy Thanksgiving!

  2. tinkyweisblat says:

    It’s actually more like a cookie or cake than a cobbler, but it IS good. I hope you enjoy a wide variety of pies on Thursday, Margie. Happy Thanksgiving!

  3. Hi Tinky,

    Maybe it’s the double crust on pies which turns you off. Try a struessel topping on apple or cherry.

    Your cranberry pie/cake looks tasty, but where is the baking powder or baking soda?

    A 9 or 10 in. pie is too much for two people. What do you suggest for a smaller 7 in. pie?

    Have you done this with other fruit, blueberries or cherries?

    Have a Happy Thanksgiving.

  4. tinkyweisblat says:

    Hi, Adelaide–Happy Thanksgiving to you, too. I should think that you could actually halve this recipe for a 7-inch pie pan. The pie is rather dense, but the eggs do leaven it so it doesn’t require powder/soda. I should think this would be divine with sour cherries or rhubarb. With a less sweet fruit I’d cut down on the sugar. You’re making me want to adapt it, I admit! Thanks for the visit.

  5. Faith says:

    That hat! It may be my favorite yet!

    Happy Thanksgiving…..

  6. tinkyweisblat says:

    Why, thank you, Faith. It DOES have personality. I hope your Thanksgiving was as grand as mine.