I f you say a dish is “like Grandma used to make,” people will know what you mean, even if their grandma is 93 and yours is 47.
When we say something is grandma-like, we generally mean something reminiscent of a time when life was simpler because someone fed us consistently and well. Something comforting. Old-timey.
I’m guessing Cindy Forsythe had this in mind when she wrote in search of a recipe for Sour Cream and Raisin Pie. This recipe is easy to find through a simple online search, with most versions accompanied by comments like “reminds me of my grandma!” I even found one in a Reader’s Digest cookbook called “Like Grandma Used to Make,” a gift from my mother-in-law (my children’s grandmother). Many recipes actually are named Grandma’s Sour Cream and Raisin Pie.
As for its true origins: One source attributes the pie to Russian Mennonites who settled in the Midwest, another to funeral food traditions of the early 1900s.
Recipes vary only slightly — a cup of raisins soaked in water or sweet wine, a cup of sour cream, three egg yolks, pumpkin pie-type spices in some combination (cinnamon, nutmeg and/or cloves), a little cornstarch or flour for thickening and a topping of meringue.
The custard-type filling is rich, but the meringue mellows it, and serving the pie chilled tones down the sweetness. I can see why it has survived the generations.
This pie can be a bit of a project, especially if you are not an experienced baker. First a pie shell, then a custard, then a meringue. An alternative would be to make tarts in cupcake cups with a vanilla wafer in the bottom to save on baking a crust. Because the pie is so rich, the tiny portion is more manageable for eating.
SOUR CREAM AND RAISIN PIE
1 cup raisins
1 cup boiling water
2/3 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3 egg yolks
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Pre-baked 9-inch pie shell
>> Meringue:
4 egg whites
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup sugar
Place raisins in bowl and cover with boiling water. Let sit until softened.
In medium pot, combine sugar, cornstarch, salt and cinnamon.
Whisk together egg yolks, sour cream and milk until smooth; stir in vanilla. Add to dry mixture in pot and stir to combine. Place pot on stove over medium heat, stirring constantly until thickened, 10 to 15 minutes.
Drain raisins and stir in. Pour mixture into pie shell.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
To make meringue: Beat egg whites, cream of tartar and vanilla at medium speed until frothy. Gradually beat in sugar until stiff peaks form. (Make sure bowl and beaters are very clean and that there is no yolk in the whites, or meringue may not form properly. If kitchen is hot, chill bowl and beaters before using.)
Spread meringue evenly over pie, covering the filling completely to the crust. Bake about 10 minutes, until meringue is nicely browned, but check frequently to be sure it does not burn. Chill.
Nutritional information unavailable.
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