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Vinegar Pie

Source of Recipe

From "A Love Affair with Southern Cooking" by Jean Anderson


Recipe Introduction

"In olden days when lemons were scarce, enterprising cooks would counterfeit lemon chess pie by substituting cider vinegar, which was cheap and widely available, for precious lemon juice. This recipe comes from Lillian Waldron, an old friend of my stepmother, Anne Anderson; the two grew up in Lynchburg, Virginia. Anne says that vinegar pie is one of her most requested desserts and a particular favorite of her granddaughters, Linda and Kim Anderson."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 1 ½ cups sugar
â—¦ ½ cup (1 stick) butter, melted
â—¦ 3 large eggs
â—¦ 1 ½ tablespoons cider vinegar
â—¦ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
â—¦ One 9-inch unbaked pie shell


Recipe

Preheat the oven to 325° F.

Beat the sugar and melted butter in a small electric mixer bowl for about 1 minute, first at low speed, then at moderate, until well combined; scrape the bowl down at half-time. With the mixer at low speed, beat in the eggs one by one and continue beating for about 30 seconds or until light. Mix in the vinegar and vanilla, and when thoroughly combined, pour the filling into the pie shell.

Slide the pie onto a baking sheet and bake on the middle oven shelf for about 1 hour or until puffed, nicely browned, and a cake tester inserted halfway between the edge and the center comes out clean. If you want to serve the pie warm, cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Or, if you prefer, cool the pie to room temperature before serving. Note: The filling will fall but this is as it should be. Cut the pieces small—this pie is rich.

Makes 6 to 8 servings