Recipe for an Old Fashion Family Favorite - Citrus Raisin-Walnut Lattice Pie
Do you have fond memories of grandma's pies? Did you ever watch her fingers magically making a lattice crust to top her mouth watering pies? I know I did and I was in awe of how pretty that made her pies and how enticing they look with the shiny fruit filling showing through. But when I grew up, I decided all that fancy stuff was too much work. So I would slap a sheet of dough over my pies, cut three or four little air vents and call it quits. Yet many years later when I see a lattice pie it brings a smile to my face. There was an old country church across from my grandparent's house and I lived next door to my grandparents. There was a huge black walnut tree in front of the church. My grandparents had an agreement with the church leaders that they would keep the walnuts picked up. If you have never helped to gather black walnuts or to crack them and pick out the nut meats, you have no idea what you have missed. Yuck, is the best way to describe the chore. The black outer shell of the nuts does rub right off on your hands. My sister and I hated that job but we sure did enjoy eating those nuts in cakes, candies, and pies thoughout the year. Why not go back to your childhood, in memory, with this recipe for an old-fashion Citrus Raisin-Walnut Lattice Pie. Top is with homemade vanilla ice-cream for a real old time treat!
CITRUS LATTICE RAISIN-WALNUT PIE
1 cup brown sugar, packed tight
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 cups raisins
1 1/3 cups cold water
1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange peel
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Pastry enough for a two crust pie
In a medium saucepan combine the brown sugar with the cornstarch. When combined, stir in the raisins, water, orange juice, lemon juice, orange peel and lemon peel. Over a medium heat cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Cook 1 more minute stirring the whole time. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the walnuts.
Roll out about half of the pastry dough and use it to line a 9-inch pie pan. Trim to about a half of an inch over the edge. Pour the raisin mixture into the shell. Cut the last half of the dough into strips about a half in wide. Weave the strips over the top of the pie to make a lattice design. Seal and flute the edges. To prevent burning, cover the edge of pie with strips of aluminum boil or a pie shield.
Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes. Carefully remove the foil and bake another 20 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. Allow pie to cool before cutting. Serve pie wedges with homemade ice cream or whipped cream, if you choose.
Enjoy!
CITRUS LATTICE RAISIN-WALNUT PIE
1 cup brown sugar, packed tight
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 cups raisins
1 1/3 cups cold water
1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange peel
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Pastry enough for a two crust pie
In a medium saucepan combine the brown sugar with the cornstarch. When combined, stir in the raisins, water, orange juice, lemon juice, orange peel and lemon peel. Over a medium heat cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Cook 1 more minute stirring the whole time. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the walnuts.
Roll out about half of the pastry dough and use it to line a 9-inch pie pan. Trim to about a half of an inch over the edge. Pour the raisin mixture into the shell. Cut the last half of the dough into strips about a half in wide. Weave the strips over the top of the pie to make a lattice design. Seal and flute the edges. To prevent burning, cover the edge of pie with strips of aluminum boil or a pie shield.
Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes. Carefully remove the foil and bake another 20 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. Allow pie to cool before cutting. Serve pie wedges with homemade ice cream or whipped cream, if you choose.
Enjoy!
